The Resources Oriented Sanitation SG focuses upon sanitation systems enabling nutrient reuse, mainly by source separation. The full range from high- over medium- to low-tech and from decentralised to centralised solutions is covered. “Resources-oriented sanitation” is understood in the same way as “sustainable sanitation” [such as defined by the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA, www.susana.org)] and “ecological sanitation”, respectively.

It is generally agreed, that only well operated and functioning sanitation systems result in benefits for human health and environment. However, sanitation systems often fail due to lack operation and maintenance. Experience shows that in a lot of places wastewater treatment alone is not enough incentive to operate and maintain a sanitation system. Additional benefits for users/owners of systems increase likelihood that systems are working well. Resources-oriented sanitation systems in which human excreta and water from households are recognized as resource made available for safe re-use do have a high potential to create such additional benefits.

We focus on the system’s approach to facilitate safe (re-) use of products from human excreta and wastewater streams and achieve long-term operation of sanitation systems. The Sanitation Safety Planning approach published by WHO in 2014 is a promising tool that shall help achieving this goal.