Barriers and Enablers for Group-based Manual Emptying Services for Onsite Sanitation Facilities in Nairobi, Kenya: a Qualitative Study

Abstract

Onsite sanitation, such as pit latrines, is essential to achieving universal access to safe sanitation, as outlined in Sustainable Development Goal?6.2. However, manual emptying for pit latrines in low?income areas is often unhygienic, posing health and environmental risks. Enhancing the safety of these services increases costs, yet affordability for customers is essential. Thus, reducing service costs is a key priority. Group?based approach, where emptiers visit multiple toilets consecutively, has potential to improve both service efficiency and affordability. However, few studies have investigated its applicability to manual emptying. This paper aims to identify barriers and enablers for group?based manual emptying services in low?income neighbourhoods of Nairobi. We conducted 12 focus group discussions with landlords, tenants, and manual emptiers in the Korogocho informal settlement in Nairobi and interviewed 20 key informants from relevant sectors in Kenya. We identified five categories of barriers and enablers that affected general and group?based manual emptying: (1) funding; (2) expertise and equipment; (3) social and commercial habits; (4) physical conditions; and (5) regulatory systems. Of these, norms about when pits are emptied, operational time constraints, transparent pricing, organizing mechanisms, and transport capacity specifically influenced group?based manual emptying. Given the cascade structure of these barriers, addressing primary issues like capacity building and recognizing manual emptiers' roles in sanitation policy could effectively ensure safe and affordable emptying services