Inefficient technology or misperceived demand: the failure of Vacutug-based pit-emptying services in Bangladesh
Demand is growing globally for appropriate technology and viable business solutions to pit-emptying and transportation services. There is a growing body of experiments on technological innovations in different contexts to find an effective solution. However, there is no one technology or business model that can be applied everywhere because of contextual difference and varied demand. A Vacutug-based emptying and transportation service has been introduced in an urban context in Bangladesh by WaterAid. However, this study suggests that despite enormous demand, this mechanical emptying and transportation service has not been successful because of technological inefficiency and other demand-related factors.Cairncross, S., Bartram, J., Cumming, O. and Brocklehurst, C. (2010) ‘Hygiene, sanitation, and water: what needs to be done?’ PLoS Medicine 7 (11): e1000365 〈http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000365〉.
Chowdhry, S. and Kone, D. (2012) Business Analysis of Fecal Sludge Management: Emptying and Transportation Services in Africa and Asia, Seattle, WA: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Eales, K. (2005) Bringing pit emptying out of the darkness: a comparison of approaches in Durban, South Africa, and Kibera, Kenya, Sanitation Partnerships Series, London: Building Partnership for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Esrey, S.A. (1996) ‘Water, waste, and well-being: a multicountry study’, American Journal of Epidemiology 143 (6): 608-23.
Esrey, S.A., Potash, J.B., Robers, L. and Shiff, C. (1991) ‘Effects of improved water supply and sanitation on ascariasis, diarrhea, dracunculiasis, hookworm infection, schistosomiasis, and trachoma’, Bulletin of the World Health Organization 69 (5): 609-21 〈www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2393264〉. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2393264
Franceys, R., Pickford, J. and Reed, R. (1992) Guide to the Development of On-site Sanitation, Geneva: World Health Organization.
Howard, G. (2002) Healthy Villages: A Guide for Communities and Community Health Workers, Geneva: World Health Organization.
Ingallinella, A.M., Sanguinetti, G., Koottatep, T., Montangero, A. and Strauss, M. (2002) ‘The challenge of faecal sludge management in urban areas: strategies, regulations and treatment options’, Water Science and Technology 46 (10): 285-94.
Jonathan, P. and Masudul, Q. (2008) ‘The challenge of servicing on-site sanitation in dense urban areas: experiences from a pilot project in Dhaka’, Waterlines 27 (2): 149-63 〈http://dx.doi.org/10.3362/1756-3488.2008.017〉.
Opel, A. (2012) ‘Absence of faecal sludge management shatters the gains of improved sanitation coverage in Bangladesh’, Journal of Sustainable Sanitation Practice 13 (10): 4-10 〈www.ecosan.at/ssp/issue-12-faecal-sludge-management/SSP-13_Oct2012.pdf〉. www.ecosan.at/ssp/issue-12-faecal-sludge-management/SSP-13_Oct2012.pdf
Opel, A. and Islam, K. (2013) Faecal Sludge Management: An Emerging Challenge for the Cities in the Developing Countries, Dhaka: WaterAid Bangladesh.
Opel, A., Bashar, M.K. and Ahmed, M.F. (2011) Landscape Analysis and Business Model Assessment in Faecal Sludge Management: Extraction and Transportation Models in Bangladesh, Dhaka: WaterAid Bangladesh.
Shordt, K. (2006) Review of Safe Disposal of Feces, The Hague, Netherlands: IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre.
Thye, Y.P., Templeton, M.R. and Ali, M. (2009) ‘Pit latrine emptying: technologies, challenges and solutions’, paper presented in EWB-UK Research Conference, The Royal Academy of Engineering, London, 20 February.
Trémolet, S., Kolsky, P. and Perez, E. (2010) Financing On-Site Sanitation for the Poor: A Six Country Comparative Review and Analysis, Washington, DC: Water and Sanitation Programme, World Bank.
Yousuf, T.B. and Mahmud, W. (2011) A Study on Situation Analysis of Business Model Development of Faecal Sludge Management of Faridpur Municipality, Dhaka: Practical Action and WaterAid Bangladesh.
Cairncross, S., Bartram, J., Cumming, O. and Brocklehurst, C. (2010) ‘Hygiene, sanitation, and water: what needs to be done?’ PLoS Medicine 7 (11): e1000365 〈http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000365〉.
Chowdhry, S. and Kone, D. (2012) Business Analysis of Fecal Sludge Management: Emptying and Transportation Services in Africa and Asia, Seattle, WA: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Eales, K. (2005) Bringing pit emptying out of the darkness: a comparison of approaches in Durban, South Africa, and Kibera, Kenya, Sanitation Partnerships Series, London: Building Partnership for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Esrey, S.A. (1996) ‘Water, waste, and well-being: a multicountry study’, American Journal of Epidemiology 143 (6): 608-23.
Esrey, S.A., Potash, J.B., Robers, L. and Shiff, C. (1991) ‘Effects of improved water supply and sanitation on ascariasis, diarrhea, dracunculiasis, hookworm infection, schistosomiasis, and trachoma’, Bulletin of the World Health Organization 69 (5): 609-21 〈www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2393264〉. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2393264
Franceys, R., Pickford, J. and Reed, R. (1992) Guide to the Development of On-site Sanitation, Geneva: World Health Organization.
Howard, G. (2002) Healthy Villages: A Guide for Communities and Community Health Workers, Geneva: World Health Organization.
Ingallinella, A.M., Sanguinetti, G., Koottatep, T., Montangero, A. and Strauss, M. (2002) ‘The challenge of faecal sludge management in urban areas: strategies, regulations and treatment options’, Water Science and Technology 46 (10): 285-94.
Jonathan, P. and Masudul, Q. (2008) ‘The challenge of servicing on-site sanitation in dense urban areas: experiences from a pilot project in Dhaka’, Waterlines 27 (2): 149-63 〈http://dx.doi.org/10.3362/1756-3488.2008.017〉.
Opel, A. (2012) ‘Absence of faecal sludge management shatters the gains of improved sanitation coverage in Bangladesh’, Journal of Sustainable Sanitation Practice 13 (10): 4-10 〈www.ecosan.at/ssp/issue-12-faecal-sludge-management/SSP-13_Oct2012.pdf〉. www.ecosan.at/ssp/issue-12-faecal-sludge-management/SSP-13_Oct2012.pdf
Opel, A. and Islam, K. (2013) Faecal Sludge Management: An Emerging Challenge for the Cities in the Developing Countries, Dhaka: WaterAid Bangladesh.
Opel, A., Bashar, M.K. and Ahmed, M.F. (2011) Landscape Analysis and Business Model Assessment in Faecal Sludge Management: Extraction and Transportation Models in Bangladesh, Dhaka: WaterAid Bangladesh.
Shordt, K. (2006) Review of Safe Disposal of Feces, The Hague, Netherlands: IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre.
Thye, Y.P., Templeton, M.R. and Ali, M. (2009) ‘Pit latrine emptying: technologies, challenges and solutions’, paper presented in EWB-UK Research Conference, The Royal Academy of Engineering, London, 20 February.
Trémolet, S., Kolsky, P. and Perez, E. (2010) Financing On-Site Sanitation for the Poor: A Six Country Comparative Review and Analysis, Washington, DC: Water and Sanitation Programme, World Bank.
Yousuf, T.B. and Mahmud, W. (2011) A Study on Situation Analysis of Business Model Development of Faecal Sludge Management of Faridpur Municipality, Dhaka: Practical Action and WaterAid Bangladesh.
Cairncross, S., Bartram, J., Cumming, O. and Brocklehurst, C. (2010) ‘Hygiene, sanitation, and water: what needs to be done?’ PLoS Medicine 7 (11): e1000365 〈http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000365〉.
Chowdhry, S. and Kone, D. (2012) Business Analysis of Fecal Sludge Management: Emptying and Transportation Services in Africa and Asia, Seattle, WA: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Eales, K. (2005) Bringing pit emptying out of the darkness: a comparison of approaches in Durban, South Africa, and Kibera, Kenya, Sanitation Partnerships Series, London: Building Partnership for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Esrey, S.A. (1996) ‘Water, waste, and well-being: a multicountry study’, American Journal of Epidemiology 143 (6): 608-23.
Esrey, S.A., Potash, J.B., Robers, L. and Shiff, C. (1991) ‘Effects of improved water supply and sanitation on ascariasis, diarrhea, dracunculiasis, hookworm infection, schistosomiasis, and trachoma’, Bulletin of the World Health Organization 69 (5): 609-21 〈www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2393264〉. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2393264
Franceys, R., Pickford, J. and Reed, R. (1992) Guide to the Development of On-site Sanitation, Geneva: World Health Organization.
Howard, G. (2002) Healthy Villages: A Guide for Communities and Community Health Workers, Geneva: World Health Organization.
Ingallinella, A.M., Sanguinetti, G., Koottatep, T., Montangero, A. and Strauss, M. (2002) ‘The challenge of faecal sludge management in urban areas: strategies, regulations and treatment options’, Water Science and Technology 46 (10): 285-94.
Jonathan, P. and Masudul, Q. (2008) ‘The challenge of servicing on-site sanitation in dense urban areas: experiences from a pilot project in Dhaka’, Waterlines 27 (2): 149-63 〈http://dx.doi.org/10.3362/1756-3488.2008.017〉.
Opel, A. (2012) ‘Absence of faecal sludge management shatters the gains of improved sanitation coverage in Bangladesh’, Journal of Sustainable Sanitation Practice 13 (10): 4-10 〈www.ecosan.at/ssp/issue-12-faecal-sludge-management/SSP-13_Oct2012.pdf〉. www.ecosan.at/ssp/issue-12-faecal-sludge-management/SSP-13_Oct2012.pdf
Opel, A. and Islam, K. (2013) Faecal Sludge Management: An Emerging Challenge for the Cities in the Developing Countries, Dhaka: WaterAid Bangladesh.
Opel, A., Bashar, M.K. and Ahmed, M.F. (2011) Landscape Analysis and Business Model Assessment in Faecal Sludge Management: Extraction and Transportation Models in Bangladesh, Dhaka: WaterAid Bangladesh.
Shordt, K. (2006) Review of Safe Disposal of Feces, The Hague, Netherlands: IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre.
Thye, Y.P., Templeton, M.R. and Ali, M. (2009) ‘Pit latrine emptying: technologies, challenges and solutions’, paper presented in EWB-UK Research Conference, The Royal Academy of Engineering, London, 20 February.
Trémolet, S., Kolsky, P. and Perez, E. (2010) Financing On-Site Sanitation for the Poor: A Six Country Comparative Review and Analysis, Washington, DC: Water and Sanitation Programme, World Bank.
Yousuf, T.B. and Mahmud, W. (2011) A Study on Situation Analysis of Business Model Development of Faecal Sludge Management of Faridpur Municipality, Dhaka: Practical Action and WaterAid Bangladesh.
Cairncross, S., Bartram, J., Cumming, O. and Brocklehurst, C. (2010) ‘Hygiene, sanitation, and water: what needs to be done?’ PLoS Medicine 7 (11): e1000365 〈http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000365〉.
Chowdhry, S. and Kone, D. (2012) Business Analysis of Fecal Sludge Management: Emptying and Transportation Services in Africa and Asia, Seattle, WA: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Eales, K. (2005) Bringing pit emptying out of the darkness: a comparison of approaches in Durban, South Africa, and Kibera, Kenya, Sanitation Partnerships Series, London: Building Partnership for Development in Water and Sanitation.
Esrey, S.A. (1996) ‘Water, waste, and well-being: a multicountry study’, American Journal of Epidemiology 143 (6): 608-23.
Esrey, S.A., Potash, J.B., Robers, L. and Shiff, C. (1991) ‘Effects of improved water supply and sanitation on ascariasis, diarrhea, dracunculiasis, hookworm infection, schistosomiasis, and trachoma’, Bulletin of the World Health Organization 69 (5): 609-21 〈www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2393264〉. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2393264
Franceys, R., Pickford, J. and Reed, R. (1992) Guide to the Development of On-site Sanitation, Geneva: World Health Organization.
Howard, G. (2002) Healthy Villages: A Guide for Communities and Community Health Workers, Geneva: World Health Organization.
Ingallinella, A.M., Sanguinetti, G., Koottatep, T., Montangero, A. and Strauss, M. (2002) ‘The challenge of faecal sludge management in urban areas: strategies, regulations and treatment options’, Water Science and Technology 46 (10): 285-94.
Jonathan, P. and Masudul, Q. (2008) ‘The challenge of servicing on-site sanitation in dense urban areas: experiences from a pilot project in Dhaka’, Waterlines 27 (2): 149-63 〈http://dx.doi.org/10.3362/1756-3488.2008.017〉.
Opel, A. (2012) ‘Absence of faecal sludge management shatters the gains of improved sanitation coverage in Bangladesh’, Journal of Sustainable Sanitation Practice 13 (10): 4-10 〈www.ecosan.at/ssp/issue-12-faecal-sludge-management/SSP-13_Oct2012.pdf〉. www.ecosan.at/ssp/issue-12-faecal-sludge-management/SSP-13_Oct2012.pdf
Opel, A. and Islam, K. (2013) Faecal Sludge Management: An Emerging Challenge for the Cities in the Developing Countries, Dhaka: WaterAid Bangladesh.
Opel, A., Bashar, M.K. and Ahmed, M.F. (2011) Landscape Analysis and Business Model Assessment in Faecal Sludge Management: Extraction and Transportation Models in Bangladesh, Dhaka: WaterAid Bangladesh.
Shordt, K. (2006) Review of Safe Disposal of Feces, The Hague, Netherlands: IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre.
Thye, Y.P., Templeton, M.R. and Ali, M. (2009) ‘Pit latrine emptying: technologies, challenges and solutions’, paper presented in EWB-UK Research Conference, The Royal Academy of Engineering, London, 20 February.
Trémolet, S., Kolsky, P. and Perez, E. (2010) Financing On-Site Sanitation for the Poor: A Six Country Comparative Review and Analysis, Washington, DC: Water and Sanitation Programme, World Bank.
Yousuf, T.B. and Mahmud, W. (2011) A Study on Situation Analysis of Business Model Development of Faecal Sludge Management of Faridpur Municipality, Dhaka: Practical Action and WaterAid Bangladesh.
Sustainable sanitation jobs: prospects for enhancing the livelihoods of pit-emptiers in Bangladesh
Zaqout, Mariam
Cawood, Sally
Evans, Barbara E.
Barrington, Dani J.
Third World Quarterly, Vol. 42 (2021), Iss. 2 P.329
https://doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2020.1810560 [Citations: 18]Linking solid waste and onsite sanitation: Quantification, stakeholder perspectives, and practices in two divisions of Kampala, Uganda
Furlong, C.
Akol, E.
Bateganya, N.L.
Hooijmans, C.M.
Waste Management Bulletin, Vol. 3 (2025), Iss. 3 P.100203
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wmb.2025.100203 [Citations: 0]Pit Latrine Emptying Behavior and Demand for Sanitation Services in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Jenkins, Marion
Cumming, Oliver
Cairncross, Sandy
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 12 (2015), Iss. 3 P.2588
https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120302588 [Citations: 97]Optimisation and costing of faecal sludge management options for Lusaka's informal settlements
Kennedy-Walker, Ruth
Holderness, Tomas
Alderson, David
Amezaga, Jaime M.
Paterson, Charlotte A.
Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, Vol. 2 (2016), Iss. 1 P.97
https://doi.org/10.1039/C5EW00179J [Citations: 1]On-site sanitation system emptying practices and influential factors in Asian low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review
Conaway, Katharine
Lebu, Sarah
Heilferty, Kylie
Salzberg, Aaron
Manga, Musa
Hygiene and Environmental Health Advances, Vol. 6 (2023), Iss. P.100050
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heha.2023.100050 [Citations: 24]On whose terms: utilities, enterprises or communities? The territorial political economy of water and sanitation sector reforms in Dhaka
Heidler, Andri
Luies, Sharmin Khan
Kamal, Abul
Ul-Alam, Mahbub
Lüthi, Christoph
Crevoisier, Olivier
Environment and Urbanization, Vol. 35 (2023), Iss. 1 P.156
https://doi.org/10.1177/09562478221149915 [Citations: 6]Piloting a low-cost hardware intervention to reduce improper disposal of solid waste in communal toilets in low-income settlements in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Yeasmin, Farzana
Luby, Stephen P.
Saxton, Ronald E.
Nizame, Fosiul A.
Alam, Mahbub-Ul
Dutta, Notan Chandra
Masud, Abdullah-Al
Yeasmin, Dalia
Layden, Anita
Rahman, Habibur
Abbott, Rachel
Unicomb, Leanne
Winch, Peter J.
BMC Public Health, Vol. 17 (2017), Iss. 1
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4693-x [Citations: 25]Practical experience testing aspects of market development for city-wide inclusive sanitation
Sanjay Singh, Sanjay Singh
John Sauer, John Sauer
Waterlines, Vol. 39 (2020), Iss. 4 P.313
https://doi.org/10.3362/1756-3488.19-00009 [Citations: 3]Adequacy of vacuum and non-vacuum technologies for emptying faecal sludge from informal settlements of Kampala City
Semiyaga, Swaib
Bamuhimbise, Gilbert
Apio, Sheilla C.
Kinobe, Joel R.
Nkurunziza, Allan
Lukooya, Najib B.
Kulabako, Robinah
Habitat International, Vol. 125 (2022), Iss. P.102596
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2022.102596 [Citations: 9]Pathogen flows from on-site sanitation systems in low-income urban neighborhoods, Dhaka: A quantitative environmental assessment
Amin, Nuhu
Liu, Pengbo
Foster, Tim
Rahman, Mahbubur
Miah, Md Rana
Ahmed, Golam Bashir
Kabir, Mamun
Raj, Suraja
Moe, Christine L.
Willetts, Juliet
International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, Vol. 230 (2020), Iss. P.113619
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113619 [Citations: 46]Pump it up: making single-pit emptying safer in rural Bangladesh
Balasubramanya, Soumya
Evans, Barbara
Ahmed, Rizwan
Habib, Ahasan
Asad, N. S. M.
Vuong, Luan
Rahman, Mominur
Hasan, Mahmudul
Dey, Digbijoy
Camargo-Valero, Miller
Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, Vol. 6 (2016), Iss. 3 P.456
https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2016.049 [Citations: 12]Application of Burke-Litwin model for capacity assessment of city corporations for sanitation services in Bangladesh
Muhammad Ashraf Ali, Muhammad Ashraf Ali
Md Azizur Rahman, Md Azizur Rahman
Saleema Najenin Siddiqua, Saleema Najenin Siddiqua
Farzana Begum, Farzana Begum
Abdus Shaheen, Abdus Shaheen
Habibur Rahman, Habibur Rahman
Tariq Bin Yousuf, Tariq Bin Yousuf
Alok Majumder, Alok Majumder
Md Mujibur Rahman, Md Mujibur Rahman
Waterlines, Vol. 38 (2019), Iss. 3 P.217
https://doi.org/10.3362/1756-3488.19-00001 [Citations: 0]- Providing municipal faecal sludge management services: lessons from Bangladesh
- A call to action: organizational, professional, and personal change for gender transformative WASH programming
- Menstrual hygiene management: education and empowerment for girls?
- Webwatch
- WASH challenges to girls’ menstrual hygiene management in Metro Manila, Masbate, and South Central Mindanao, Philippines
Browse our other journals
