This demonstration project is being carried out to develop sustainable sanitary concepts with water and nutrient recycling for remote settlements, rapidly growing urban areas and countries with low water resources

Two different concepts are being tested. Gravity separation toilets with composting of the faeces and vacuum separation toilets with digestion of the faeces. Fertilisation trials were conducted with the urine. The greywater is treated in a biological sewage treatment plant. At the same time, treatment using a membrane aeration system was also demonstrated. The biogas plant for the digestion of the faeces from the vacuum separation toilets has been in operation since July 2006. An ecological balance was drawn up for an ecological assessment of these sanitary concepts.

The initial results show that the separation toilets need to be improved for a more widespread use. Clogging occurs and the separation effect is not yet adequate. The results of the biological treatment plant meet the expectations. Urine has a fertiliser effect like that of mineral fertilisers. With the ecological balance it was possible to show that the operation of the new sanitary concepts for new plants to be erected in the target areas identified is more advantageous compared with the erection of conventional sanitary systems. The final results are expected in March 2007.

This demonstration project is being conducted by the Kompetenzzentrum Wasser Berlin gGmbH in cooperation with Berliner Wasserbetriebe and Anjou Recherche (Veolia Water) and funded by the EU as a LIFE project.