The promotion of dry toilet use in the Karelian region 2009

Promotion of dry toilet usage in the Karelian region 2009
The Karelian villages' sanitation development project started in April 2008. The reports stated that toilet waste treatment needs much development, waste water as a general rule is not cleaned and the condition of the wells needs to be improved. Well maintained functioning, modern dry toilets are not common occurrences in Russian Karelia. Modern dry toilets only exist on the island of Kizhi but the large number of users makes it difficult to properly service and maintain equipment there.

Public amenities were searched with the local partners in order to have venues to introduce and assist with the use, care and maintenance of modern Finnish dry toilets. The Finnish Ministry of Environment funded the implementation of two example dry toilets in Russian Karelia. (View photo gallery)

Finnish experts design the toilets, guide their construction, installation of equipment, maintenance and deployment. Training is organised at the various stages of implementation. Finnish manufactures supply the equipment for the dry toilets. The Karelian parties generally build the structures and acquire the necessary timbre and labour. The number of users, service and maintenance of the sites will be monitored and reported annually to the association.

Project cooperation
The project lead by the Global Dry Toilet Association of Finland is participated from the Russian side by the Lake Onega area and the nearby camping ground, museum and experts from NWPI (Northern Water Problems Institute) and the Kizhi outdoor museum. Finnish experts Juhani Laurila and Raini Kiukas (Kopli Ltd.) designed the structures. Juhani Laurila has often been working in projects in Karelia e.g. waste treatment planning and installing dry latrines on the Kizhi Island. Raini Kiukas has plenty of practical experience in water conversation, problems of scattered settlement sewage treatment and dry sanitation. Denis Kovyazin assists with guiding the construction and translating the instructions. He carried out field research in Karelia in the summer of 2008. Lassila and Tikanoja & Raita Environment provided the dry toilet equipment via their Russian outlets.

Progress of the project
In March 2009 Sheltozero and Derevjannoe were visited to design new latrine solutions and ironing out the details of location. The dry toilet plans were completed in April. Construction of the latrines began in the week of mid summer and was completed in early autumn. In October an evaluation on the success of implementation, equipment and the adequacy of servicing and maintenance operations, took place. During the project the completed instructions were compiled into one publication.

Download building instructions with designs from Derevjannoe, Sheltozero. FIN, RUS

Support the Karelia projects by joining the "Karjalan huussiystävät" or by direct donations.