W EEKLY EDITION NOV 23, 2016
ISO's Two Step Solution to Improving Sanitation for 2.4 Billion
People …continued
"The demand for this guidance came from government agencies looking to bring sanitation services into many
rural and some underprivileged urban communities that do not have such i nfrastructure, or that have it but do not
know how to manage it and offer better services to their users," explains Gerryshom Munala, Convenor of the
working group that developed ISO 24521.
But more is needed. Current technologies are failing to address u nderlying challenges behind lack of sanitation
including poverty, infrastructure and resources. To help address this issue ISO has created a new project
committee to develop a standard focusing on product features and criteria for new technologies. ISO/PC 305 will
guide product developers looking for solutions so that they can save precious time and resources, and facilitate
adoption by governments and NGOs who will have confidence that these new units meet their requirements and
are suitable for local cond itions.
The future standard will reflect the innovation that is coming as a result of the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge
introduced by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2011. It is expected to address recycling and resource
recovery within the unit, safe treatment, positive user experience and affordability. The standard is expected to
be available in 2018.
ISO's two - step solution for the sanitation challenge includes ISO 24521 , a systems management and
maintenance standard to optimize existing wastewater services, and a future standard to guide new technologies
and solutions. Together both standards will improve health, reduce the environmental impact of wastewater
treatment, a nd offer affordable options for users and communities to help change the lives of 2.4 billion people.
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