Grape company delivers 70 waterless toilets valued at N$1.8m

The Namibia Grape Company (NGC) has handed over 70 Ecosan waterless toilets to residents of Aussenkehr in a sanitation project valued at N$1.866 million.

The initiative, supported by the Waitrose Foundation, will be maintained by the Aussenkehr Village Foundation and is expected to reduce reliance on unsafe sanitation practices in the area significantly.

Grape company managing director Gideon Nuunyango said the waterless composting toilets offer a practical solution for communities where conventional sewer systems are not viable.

Nuunyango added that a waterless composting toilet is an innovative sanitation solution that operates entirely without water, using air and wind to manage waste.

"The system dries out the human waste over a few weeks into a completely dry waste product that is safe to handle and easily disposable.

"It conserves water, eliminates plumbing, and provides a hygienic option for homes, especially in remote areas,” Nuunyango said.

According to Nuunyango, the system's portability allows for future flexibility.

“If in years to come, a region is economically positioned to implement a waterborne sewerage system and construct permanent sanitary facilities, these portable toilets can easily be lifted and transferred to another low-cost housing development site,” he said.

The project is part of a five-year programme initiated by NGC, with the company funding the rollout alongside support from the Waitrose Foundation during the first year.

Nuunyango called on any farm manager or ownetoan to join the effort and ensure that more toilets are provided so that everybody in Aussenkehr has access to proper sanitation facilities.

The toilet components are manufactured by Ecosan in South Africa and assembled locally.

The system is environmentally sustainable, requiring no water or chemicals while remaining odourless through airflow technology.

“This is an eco-friendly system. It uses no water, which saves thousands of litres of water per person annually. The system requires no connection to sewage systems or plumbing, making them ideal for remote locations,” he said.

Restoring dignity

Grape company employee Antonia Kandjala described the toilets as a means of restoring dignity to the community.

“We are thankful for what NGC has done for us. This brings dignity to us. It is something we really needed. This is a farming area, and because of that, some made pit latrines, and others simply did not bother to construct toilets,” she said.

Kandjala urged residents to take responsibility for maintaining the facilities.

“Let’s take good care of these facilities. We received training on how to use it, so let’s apply what we have learned and make a success of this initiative so that more can benefit in the way we are,” she said.

The toilets have been allocated to groups of households, with shared access arrangements designed to maximise coverage.

“They have the key to use a particular facility and can give it to other people who have not yet been allocated a facility at this time,” Nuunyango said, noting that dozens of families are now accessing sanitation where none previously existed.

He said the sanitation rollout forms part of broader efforts by the grape company to improve conditions for workers and surrounding communities.

“The ablution facilities and the provision of clean drinking water have not been there before. People used to take water from the river until we put up drinking water points with purified water where they are residing,”

Nuunyango said.