User perceptions in urban sanitation

In February 1998, the Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC) published the findings from three years investigation into on-plot sanitation1 in low income urban communities (based on a Department for International Development (DFID) funded research project (R4857), On-Plot Sanitation in Low Income Urban Communities). This work raised some interesting points regarding discrepancies between user and sector professionals’ assumptions about the appropriateness and efficacy of household latrine sanitation systems. This paper discusses some of these issues.