Should Cambodians be happy w/sanitation progress ?

Anchor Moy · Post by **Anchor Moy** » Fri Jul 03, 2015 3:46 pm

http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/12841/ ... ambodians/
Am I the only one who finds the tone of this article just a trifle optimistic ?

ONLY 60 percent of people in the countryside are shitting in the woods.

In a toilet revolution, virtually no city dwellers defecate outside, compared 65 percent in 1990, according to a new report by Unicef and the World Health Organization.
In the countryside, the reduction has also been dramatic, from 94 percent in 1990 to about 60 percent today.

And ALMOST HALF the countryside population have access to clean drinking water. (I mean, well whoopee. That means that less than 50% can drink safely.)

Today, about half of people living in the countryside and 82 percent of all people have access to clean water.

Or am I seriously out-of-order in thinking that more progress should have been made, considering the work and the money that has been put into this, as well as the relatively small size of the Cambodian population ?

cptrelentless · Post by **cptrelentless** » Fri Jul 03, 2015 4:02 pm

They don't really have much of a sewerage system here, so taking a dump outdoors is probably a better option in a lot of places.

Mr Curious · Post by **Mr Curious** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 11:10 am

not fast enough for ya Bubba? Almost 50% improvement in 25 yrs. Seems "100%" in the next 10 is possible. NOW...that picture? the blue tent privvy with greenery up front? Epcot Center had a project on just that thing some years back. Using water plants (such as those I see floating in clumps on the Chao Praya in Bangkok) to pre-treat water for sewage treatment. Seems solids in the water bind to the roots. I'd say there should be much more use of outhouses. Some countries used human compost for growing veggies. Dicey thing that unless composted all the way. But still composting privvies are a growing thing in the west.

I think the figures are about right, I believe it. If yer so fired up/shocked, get you a shovel and go help some folks in the deep boonies Bub.

Luigi · Post by **Luigi** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 11:27 am

''Some countries used human compost for growing veggies.''

Most of Mexico in the 1980's! And not necessarily composted waste.

Anchor Moy · Post by **Anchor Moy** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 3:12 pm

Luigi wrote:''Some countries used human compost for growing veggies.''

Most of Mexico in the 1980's! And not necessarily composted waste.

Cambodia also, so wash your veggies.

Re: Should Cambodians be happy w/sanitation progress ?

Mr Curious wrote:not fast enough for ya Bubba? Almost 50% improvement in 25 yrs. Seems "100%" in the next 10 is possible. NOW...that picture? the blue tent privvy with greenery up front? Epcot Center had a project on just that thing some years back. Using water plants (such as those I see floating in clumps on the Chao Praya in Bangkok) to pre-treat water for sewage treatment. Seems solids in the water bind to the roots. I'd say there should be much more use of outhouses. Some countries used human compost for growing veggies. Dicey thing that unless composted all the way. But still composting privvies are a growing thing in the west.

I think the figures are about right, I believe it. If yer so fired up/shocked, get you a shovel and go help some folks in the deep boonies Bub.

As you see, I posted the topic as a question. Apparently you feel that this is a good rate of progress ? That's what I was asking.
The people in the "boonies" are quite capable of digging their own toilets and can manage fine without my superior toilet-digging skills. But yeah i guess it would look good on my CV and I would feel like a fantastic human being, so why not.

John Bingham · Post by **John Bingham** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 3:29 pm

Anchor Moy wrote:
Luigi wrote:''Some countries used human compost for growing veggies.''

Most of Mexico in the 1980's! And not necessarily composted waste.
Cambodia also, so wash your veggies.

It is common in China and the practice was encouraged under Pol Pot (to much disgust). As far as I know the practice is not used anymore.

Anchor Moy · Post by **Anchor Moy** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 3:35 pm

John Bingham wrote:
Anchor Moy wrote:
Luigi wrote:''Some countries used human compost for growing veggies.''

Most of Mexico in the 1980's! And not necessarily composted waste.
Cambodia also, so wash your veggies.
It is common in China and the practice was encouraged under Pol Pot (to much disgust). As far as I know the practice is not used anymore.

Unfortunately, this is not hearsay, but seen with own eyes.
However, this doesn't mean to say that everyone is doing it. I would wash my vegetables anyway.

JBTrain · Post by **JBTrain** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 3:46 pm

Anchor Moy wrote:
John Bingham wrote:
Anchor Moy wrote:
Luigi wrote:''Some countries used human compost for growing veggies.''

Most of Mexico in the 1980's! And not necessarily composted waste.
Cambodia also, so wash your veggies.
It is common in China and the practice was encouraged under Pol Pot (to much disgust). As far as I know the practice is not used anymore.
Unfortunately, this is not hearsay, but seen with own eyes.
However, this doesn't mean to say that everyone is doing it. I would wash my vegetables anyway.

I have as well. The difference between my Khmer in laws ancestral home and my Vietnamese was that the Vietnamese shat in a specific area of the garden, the Khmer shat randomly. I wouldn't draw national conclusions just reporting my experience.

Post by **Username Taken** » Mon Jul 06, 2015 9:41 pm

John Bingham wrote:
Anchor Moy wrote:
Luigi wrote:''Some countries used human compost for growing veggies.''

Most of Mexico in the 1980's! And not necessarily composted waste.
Cambodia also, so wash your veggies.
It is common in China and the practice was encouraged under Pol Pot (to much disgust). As far as I know the practice is not used anymore.

You mean, you never noticed those Septic Tank trucks disposing of their load by the Boeung Trabek Pumping Station. From there it flowed off to feed various vegetables plots, including acres of trakuen. Truckloads of which are sent to the market every day (still).

John Bingham · Post by **John Bingham** » Tue Jul 07, 2015 12:38 am

Username Taken wrote: You mean, you never noticed those Septic Tank trucks disposing of their load by the Boeung Trabek Pumping Station. From there it flowed off to feed various vegetables plots, including acres of trakuen. Truckloads of which are sent to the market every day (still).

I know that area very well actually. That was a 1000 hectare wetland/lake not so long ago, a lot has been reclaimed over the past 5 years or so though so there aren't so many Trakuen farmers in their little boats anymore. There is a whole lot of pollution that is caused by having household sewers leading straight into lakes/ rivers, dumping compost from septic-tanks into the same along with the practice of defecating in bush/fields etc.
However, these are quite different in nature from deliberately collecting and using "night soil" as fertilizer - which I don't believe is common practice with Khmer farmers.

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