In Tanzania, as in many other developing countries, the great majority of people still do not have access to safe drinking water supply and hygienic sanitation. For institutions, such as schools and hospitals, where water supply is available, constructed wetlands system (CW) can provide hygienic sanitation. However, successful implementation of constructed wetlands in Tanzania is still hindered by to a lack of investment capital and lack of knowledge and commitment of users, responsible government institutions and international development agencies. Based on an evaluation of 5 constructed wetland projects, including an in depth socio economic analysis of 2 systems and a broader dynamic innovation system analysis of the water and sanitation sector in Tanzania, we provide insight in bottlenecks and opportunities for constructed wetland projects in Tanzania. This analysis shows that failure of constructed wetland projects is often due to the great discrepancy between the limited private and large societal net benefits. Socio-economic costs of diseases are not visible to decision makers and remain therefore unaccounted for. As a result implementation of hygienic sanitation systems fails due to unrealistic attempts at cost-saving by taking short-cuts in the implementation and maintenance. On the other hand, there are also very promising examples such as the constructed wetland system at the Ruaha Secondary School, whose sanitation was found to be technically, financially as well as social-economically successful.
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Research Article|
March 01 2010
Socio-economic analysis of constructed wetlands systems for hygienic sanitation in Tanzania
Annelies Balkema;
aEindhoven University of Technology, School of Innovation Sciences, P.O. Box 513, 5600MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands, E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
E-mail: [email protected]
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Karoli N. Njau;
Karoli N. Njau
dr ir
bUniversity of Dar es Salaam, Waste Stabilization and Constructed Wetland Research Group, E-mail: [email protected]
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Henny Romijn;
Henny Romijn
dr
aEindhoven University of Technology, School of Innovation Sciences, P.O. Box 513, 5600MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands, E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
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Water Practice and Technology (2010) 5 (1): wpt2010022.
Citation
Annelies Balkema, Karoli N. Njau, Henny Romijn, Ralph de Ruijter; Socio-economic analysis of constructed wetlands systems for hygienic sanitation in Tanzania. Water Practice and Technology 1 March 2010; 5 (1): wpt2010022. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wpt.2010.022
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