Abstract

Flooding incidents due to climate change can have a significant impact on the functionality of existing sanitation facilities and exacerbating the problem of inadequate access to clean toilets. It is crucial to address this issue and find viable solutions to ensure the smooth functioning of retrofitted community toilets (CTs), especially in flood-prone areas. Flooding poses several challenges to sanitation facilities, including damage to infrastructure, contamination of surroundings and water sources, and increased risk of waterborne diseases. Due to flooding, lack of access to CTs often force people to resort to open defecation. This paper presents the challenges observed in a community toilet located in a flood-prone area and the adaptative measures taken through an upgraded EBR treatment system to provide safe and sustainable sanitation. The containment improvements made before and after the flood incident are discussed, along with the impact of flood-resistant retrofits on CT functionality and hygiene