Water Policy 6 (2004) 249-262

Community participation in dry sanitation projects

Juan D. Gomez and Jay P.Graham

Corresponding author. CH2M HILL, 445 Executive Center Boulevard, Suite 110, El Paso, TX 79902, USA. Tel:+1 915 543-9089; fax: +1 915 545 2859. E-mail: juan.gomez@ch2m.com

Center for Environmental Resource Management, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 W University Ave, Burges Hall, El Paso, TX 79968, USA

This paper addresses community participation issues in the sanitation sector. A brief introduction is provided, including a historical explanation of the origins of participation in sanitation projects. Subsequently, Participatory Hygiene And Sanitation Transformation (PHAST), a participatory methodology, is defined and its advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Additionally, this paper addresses the importance of community participation in the design and implementation of sanitation projects and provides background information on the sanitation sector. Two case studies on dry sanitation taking place in Northern Mexico are presented and analyzed. Finally, conclusions are drawn and recommendations for future projects are given.

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