sporadic indicative sanitation survey in davao city slums

SANITATION SITUATION IN CENTRAL DAVAO

CITY SLUM AREAS

A SPORADIC INDICATIVE SURVEY

Field observations and sporadic surveys in some of Davao City central district slum areas.

Part of Bachelor of Built Environment Third year internship research water management at

Rotterdam University of Applied Science.

Project Sanitation assessment Davao City Document name C.02 Version 4.2 Organizations HELP Davao, TropICS, Ateneo de Davao, DOST XI Website http://davao.vincentoskam.nl Author Vincent Oskam Data gathering In cooperation with Sean Ligtvoet Date 21 December 2012

Region XI Davao

http://davao.vincentoskam.nl/

Sanitation situation in central davao city slum areas A sporadic indicative survey

Vincent Oskam, 2012 http://davao.vincentoskam.nl D.ID C.02 page….. 2 of 8

2

I. INTRODUCTION Hygienic habits, like using proper toilets

and hand washing prevent the spreading of

deceases from human extoileteta, which

otherwise contaminate water and food. This

contamination is a major cause of diarrhea

which is the second biggest killer of

children in developing countries. It can also

lead to other major diseases as cholera,

schistosomiasis and trachoma

(WHO/UNICEF, 2008).

To assess the state of sanitation in Davao

City, the following dense populated areas,

and informal settlements within Davao City

central district are visited.

17-October 2012

1.) Brgy 22-C, Quezon Boulevard

2.) Brgy 40-D, Poblacion

3.) Brgy 23-C, Isla Verde

4.) Brgy 31-D,

18-October 2012

5.) Brgy 2-A, Bagong Lupa

6.) Brgy 37-D, Trading Boulevard

7.) Brgy 76-A, Bucana

Illustration 1.1

The results of this research are only to be

used as indicative data.

Areas are chosen on non-further

substantiated recommendations. The few

interviewees are chosen by Barangay

captains and can be biased. Communication

was difficult caused by the language barrier,

questions were therefor sometimes leading

or suggestive and answers can be

untrustworthy caused by embarrassment.

ORGANIZATION OF THE PAPER Chapter one (1) covers the results from the

interviews and chapter two (2) results from

field observations. This paper ends with

conclusions and generalizations and as

attachment the survey outcomes are added.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The research results in this paper where

only possible with the help of Marife

Anunciado who coordinated our with the

Barangay captains and helped us with

interpretation. Sr. Ben Co who provided us

with safe transportation and Sean Ligtvoet

who prepared and performed the

interviews.

II. METHODS Field observations and interviews, to

indicate, not to quantify. Observations in

the field are compared to the definitions by

WHO/Unesco.

Goal 7 from the millennium development

goals: to halve the proportion of people

without sustainable access to safe drinking

water and basic sanitation. The United

Nations describes sustainable basic

sanitation as “…access to facilities that

hygienically separate human excreta from

human, animal and insect contact…” and “…any

of the following types of water supply for

drinking: Piped water, public tap, borehole or

pump, protected well, protected spring or

rainwater.” (United Nations, 2003)

According to Global Water Supply and

Sanitation Assessment 2000 Report

sanitation facilities are considered

“improved” as they are either connected to

public sewer or a septic system, a pour-

flush latrine or simple pit latrine, as long as

it is not a public latrine, open pit latrine or

service/bucket latrine. (World Health

Organization & UNICEF, 2000)



3

1. SURVEY

NUMBER OF USERS PER TOILET Private toilets can be used by up to three

families or eleven people per toilet. While

some houses have two toilets for only four

people. People without toilet can often use a

public toilet that accommodates up to 50

people. Cost of using a public toilet varies

between three and five peso per visit.

People without private toilet also often use

the toilet of neighbors or family in the

neighborhood.

TOILET HABITS AND TYPES Most people use the “splash” method, they

use water to clean after toilet visits. Some

use paper napkins. The types of toilet vary

between squat and sit toilets. Most toilets

are manually flushed with a water bucket.

According to one inhabitant people defecate

under the house. Some houses in tide

affected areas or houses permanently above

sea water only have hole in the ground that

is used as toilet. According to a barangay

official people also use the wrap and

through method, they defecate in a plastic

bag or piece of paper and throw this in a

public area.

HYGIENIC CONDITION Both private toilet users and public toilet

users claim that the hygienic condition of

the toilets is “OK” or “Clean”. Observations

indicate this is questionable (Illustration 2.8)

ACCOMMODATION For both private and public toilets, users

claim it can effectively accommodate all

toilet users, up to 15 people for a private

toilet. The reported waiting time for public

toilet visits is a maximum of 5 minutes.

NUISANCE FROM OPEN SEWER Reported nuisance from the open sewer

varies between “not at all” / “never” to

nuisance from odor, headaches, and rashes.

Especially for kids parents name cough and

cold. It is not possible to check if these are

indeed caused by the open sewer.

CONTACT WITH HUMAN EXCREMENT People from the same Barangays contradict

each other, some report to experience

exposure to human excrement in streets or

open sewer daily, other claim they never

experience exposure. As most households

do not have a septic tank and

sewer/drainage runs in small overflowing

canals next to the streets, exposure is to be

expected to all people.

SEPTIC TANK Most houses report to have a septic tank,

while barangay officials estimate about

30% of the households have a septic tank.

Functioning of septic tanks can be doubted

as they should often be cleaned for well-

functioning.

ACCESS TO CLEAN DRINKING WATER Most people have access to drinking water

from the Davao City Water District,

reportedly one of the best water qualities in

the world. People without water connection

can buy water in buckets from neighbors

paying 1,- to 1.50 PHP per bucket.

WASHING HABITS Some areas have public washrooms which

can be used for a fee up to 6 PHP. People

report to wash 1 to 3 times a day, if there is

no dedicated washing area in the house

they use a bucket or a small tub inside or

outside of the house.

SAFETY OF PUBLIC TOILET Public toilets might be unsafe, especially for

young women. Female inhabitants using

public toilets report it is safe to use the

public toilet, as long there is functioning

light at night.



4

2. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Following are photos taken during the visits

with comments.

Illustration 2.1

Clearly polluted canals run in the side of the

streets.

Illustration 2.2

Usually the canals are passable by simple

bridge constructions.

Illustration 2.3

Canals are clogged with siltation and debris,

which may cause them to flow over the

streets, spreading contaminents.

Illustration 2.4

Often the canals flow over, due to either

tides or rain.



5

Illustration 2.5

Children play in the polluted canals, there is

nothing protecting them from exposure.

Illustration 2.6

Sometimes the waste water/open sewer

runs over the potable water lines, leakage

can lead to contamination of the tap water.

Illustration 2.7

People often wear sandals or bear feet

(mostly children), further spreading

contaminants from the wet areas

throughout the area.

Illustration 2.8

Public toilet buildings, reportedly hygienic,

do not look well maintained or clean. *This

does not say anything about their actual

hygienic condition, it has not been tested.



6

Illustration 2.9

Some houses are located on tidal affected

areas. These houses often don’t have septic

tanks but use holes in the floor as toilet.

Human excrements are disposed under the

houses, during tides and floods they get

flushed into the rest of the city.

Illustration 2.10

Some areas naturally accumulate waste, as

the tides deposit them during high tide, they

stay behind when the tide falls.

Illustration 2.11

Houses are accessible by small wooden

bridges, it is easy for children and elderly to

fall in the polluted water.



7

3. CONCLUSIONS According to (World Health Organization &

UNICEF, 2000) exposure to human

excrement causes diarrhea and can lead to

major deceases like cholera. Sanitation

habits like proper toilet usage can reduce

the spreading and exposure to these

threats.

Sporadic indicative survey of 7 barangays in

Davao City show that have access to toilets,

either their own private toilets or toilets

from family or neighbors, reportedly

effectively accommodating up to 15 people.

While public toilets are available for a small

fee for people without access to private

toilets. The maximum reported waiting time

for public toilet usage is 5 minutes.

Inhabitants report that they are exposed to

human excrement in the streets, reportedly

leading to health issues like rashes and for

children cough and colds. Not all toilets

have a septic tank and the functioning of

existing septic tanks can be doubted. It is

clear that the drainage canals in the sides of

the narrow streets contain human excreta.

These canals often overflow during high

tides or heavy rainfall. Siltation and debris

also lead to overflowing canals.

Children are not in any way protected from

this contaminated water and are seen

playing in it. Some houses are built on top of

tide affected or permanent sea areas. The

water underneath these houses is polluted

with debris and most houses there only

have a hole in the floor as toilet. The water

under the houses is expected to be

contaminated, while the access to these

houses is by narrow wooden planks. It is

easy for children or elderly to fall from the

planks in the contaminated water.

Irrespectively of these situations, most

people report that the hygienic situation of

their toilets, both private and public, is ok.

Most of the inhabitants have access to a

private metered water tap. Those who do

not have access to water can buy water in

buckets from family or neighbors.

Most people have access to water and adapt

regular washing habits.

However, the definition of (World Health

Organization & UNICEF, 2000) for proper

sanitation is not met. Human excreta is not

separated from human, animal or insect

access, worse they flow over streets and

under the houses. Furthermore, the (World

Health Organization & UNICEF, 2000)

definition of proper toilets is not met,

people use public toilets or private toilets

from family or neighbors.

III. Work cited United Nations. (2003). Indicators for

Monitoring the Millenium

Development Goals. New York: United

Nations.

WHO/UNICEF. (2008). Poor sanitation

threatens public health. Geneva.

World Health Organization & UNICEF. (2000).

Global Water Supply and Sanitation

Assessment 2000 Report. Water

Supply & Sanitation - Collaborative

Council.

IV. ATTACHMENT C.02

1. SUMMARY OF SURVEY

RESPONS



8

sporadic indicative sanitation survey in davao city slums

Documents

davao sanitation situation

central davao city slum

state of sanitation

sustainable basic sanitation

report sanitation facilities

piped water

research results

safe drinking water