Topic outline
Topic 1
Provision of Safe Drinking Water
The public health importance of water
For drinking
For food preparation and cooking
For hygiene
The hydrological cycle
Criteria for satisfactory water
Sufficient quantity
Safe and acceptable
Physically accessible
Affordable
Vulnerability due to lack of satisfactory water provision
Population dynamics
Poverty
Climate change
Globalisation
Major barriers to the provision of safe water
Lack of community capacity and engagement
Lack of technological capacity
Lack of institutional capacity
Insufficient financing
Topic 2
Treatment of Drinking Water at Household and Community Level
Waterborne diseases
Causes of waterborne disease outbreaks
Water treatment
Small-scale water treatment systems
Household sand filter
Cloth filtration
Other filtration methods
Solar disinfection
Chemical disinfection methods
Boiling
Safe storage
Large-scale water treatment
Chlorination
Topic 3
Community Drinking Water Source Protection
Sources of drinking water
Rainwater
Surface water
Groundwater
Planning the development and protection of sources of water
Assessing needs
Water source identification
Water quantity
Sanitary surveys
Health and hygiene education
Water quality
Types of well
Protection of well water from pollution and contamination
Contamination of well water
Spring source protection
Rainwater source protection
Surface water sources
Topic 4
Sanitary Survey of Drinking Water
Rationale for a sanitary survey
Elements of a sanitary survey
Water source (components, protection and condition)
The use of water at home
Vulnerability assessment at a water source
Source water quantity
Sanitary survey of wells
Sanitary survey of springs
Sanitary survey of rainwater collection and storage
Water quality assessment
Topic 5
Water Pollution and its Control
Sources of water pollution
Sediments and suspended solids
Nutrients
Biological pollutants
Chemical pollutants
Types of pollutant defined by their source
Public health impacts of water pollution
Indicators of water pollution
Streams and rivers
Lakes
Groundwater
Problems of using polluted water
Control of water pollution
Sampling methods for bacteriological testing
Sampling procedure from a tap or pump outlet
Sampling procedure from a watercourse or reservoir
Sampling procedure from dug wells and similar sources
Topic 6
Introduction to the Principles and Concepts of Waste Management
Basic principles and concepts of waste management
Liquid waste
Solid waste
Public health importance of waste management
Main components of waste management
Liquid waste management
Solid waste management
Compare the different waste management methods
Topic 7
Liquid Waste Management
Types and sources of liquid waste
Management of liquid waste
Human waste management
Sullage management
Industrial wastewater management
Runoff management
Collection, storage and treatment of liquid waste
Septic tanks
Anaerobic biogas reactor
Centralised wastewater treatment systems
Choosing appropriate sanitation technologies
General principles
Questions to consider
Topic 8
Latrine Construction
Types of latrine
Pit latrine with slab
Advantages and disadvantages of pit latrines
Siting, designing and constructing a pit latrine
Maintenance of pit latrines
Ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine
Constructing a VIP latrine
Maintenance of VIP latrines
Ecological sanitation
Arborloo - a single pit method
Fossa Alterna – a double pit method
Cistern flush toilet
Pour-flush toilets
Aqua privy
Urinals
Handwashing facilities
Your role in latrine construction
Topic 9
Latrine Utilisation – Changing Attitudes and Behaviour
Benefits of hygiene and sanitation behaviour change
Latrines
Handwashing facilities
Motivating people to change their behaviour
Using model households
Community motivation
Two approaches to communal behaviour change
Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST)
Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS)
Latrine utilisation monitoring and evaluation
Topic 10
Solid Waste Management
Sources and classification of solid waste
Hazardous waste
Functional elements of solid waste management
Onsite handling, storage and processing
Collection, transfer and transport of solid waste
Resource recovery and processing
Disposal of solid waste
Integrated solid waste management
Reduction strategies
Reuse strategies
Recovery strategies: recycling, composting and energy
Final disposal: landfill, controlled tipping and burning
Surveying solid waste management
Topic 11
Healthcare Waste Management
Sources and classification of healthcare waste
Public health importance of healthcare waste
Hazards from infectious waste
Management of hazardous healthcare waste
Waste handling
Waste minimisation
Segregation of healthcare waste
Recycling and reuse of healthcare waste
Use of safety boxes
Packing healthcare wastes before disposal
Waste storage
Steam sterilisation (autoclaving)
Incineration
Chemical or high-level disinfection (HLD)
Final disposal: burial pits
Anatomical waste and placentas
Prevention and control of risks to healthcare workers
Planning and monitoring healthcare waste management