PIT (Pit Intelligent Tracker)

Around 55,000 different type of pit latrines, septic tanks has been built in Rohingya camps in past years by WASH agencies to tackle the basic sanitation need of the distressed community. But high desludging frequency and unavailability of digitized database of latrine containment status makes it difficult to find out the underlying cause of high frequency of desludging. Considering the facts to have a digitized monitoring, proactive desludging schedule & database of latrine desludging frequencies, OXFAM, UNHCR with the support from Kaz Software developed this android application named “IFSTN digitized monitoring”.

UNHCR – OXFAM established centralized fecal sludge transportation mode in camp 3,4,4 extension where all the fecal sludge generated in latrine containment transported up to centralized fecal sludge treatment plant with series of transfer station through mixed of pumping and gravity system. It requires comprehensive monitoring system to operate efficiently. Oxfam is planning to develop a digitized remote monitoring system of IFSTN and
a web application including live spatial prediction model for latrine desludging in UNHCR camps initially later to integrate with sector and all sludge transfer networks in the camps.

When latrine pit is full, this information is received through hygiene promotion volunteers, Majhi or directly from communities. Mostly this information doesn’t come timely to the WASH agencies which makes reasonable delay in desludging response subsequently reduce functionality of latrines exposes unsanitary environment with public health risks and
environmental pollution. In most cases, desludging request raises on ad hoc and sporadic either by users or CBVs when the latrines become unusable and or pits are overflowing which makes difficult to respond in time and not cost effective given mobilization of desludging team in different directions without sequential plan and reactive actions do not provide clue
or trend for modification and or troubleshooting technical challenges. Having a proper desludging database will enable the operators to assess the reason behind high desludging frequency for a subblock / specific latrine type and take modification measure to achieve sustainable desludging operation. Here are two main reason for the data base alert and monitoring system
• IFSTN operator can easily schedule to mobilize the desludging team in particular sanitation zones. As its quite necessary to get a prediction about the containment sludge volume of each latrine to do a cost-effective desludging from each sanitation zone.
• With help of the mobile application – The service will be much efficient and accessible by the agency and service provider.