A socio-economic analysis of different approaches to faecal sludge treatment in Sunyani, Ghana

With the SDGs moving beyond the focus on household sanitation facilities and aiming to halve the proportion of untreated wastewater and increase recycling and safe reuse, there is a need to look at new approaches to treatment. This study was conducted to investigate the socio-economic case for a resource recovery-based business model to fund faecal sludge treatment in Sunyani, Ghana. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders including households, sanitation businesses and potential resource customers; together with observation and infrastructure mapping to assess the existing sanitation infrastructure and different options that could be implemented. Of the different resource recovery models investigated, biogas was the most acceptable option to customers whilst also providing a good business model to fund faecal sludge treatment, either as a decentralised system at public toilets where the fresh sludge is better for biogas production, or centrally at the existing disposal site.