(2020) SFD Promotion Initiative Cap-Haïtien Haiti Final Report
Summary — This report presents a Shit Flow Diagram (SFD) for Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, analyzing the city's sanitation service delivery chain. It identifies strengths and weaknesses in excreta management and visualizes how wastewater and fecal sludge move within the city to inform better sanitation investments.
Key Findings
- Only 6% of fecal sludge is safely managed in Cap-Haïtien.
- 94% of fecal sludge is not safely managed.
- 11% of the population practices open defecation.
- Septic tanks and pit latrines are the most commonly used sanitation technologies.
- Groundwater is at significant risk of contamination due to sanitation practices.
Full Description
This SFD report for Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, provides a comprehensive analysis of the city's sanitation situation. It characterizes the state of sanitation, identifies strengths and weaknesses in the service delivery chain, and visualizes the flow of wastewater and fecal sludge. The report includes general city information, sanitation service outcomes, a service delivery context analysis, and a description of the surveys and interviews conducted. The SFD graphic shows that only 6% of fecal sludge is safely managed in Cap-Haïtien, highlighting the need for more efficient investments in sanitation infrastructure and management.
Full Document Text
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SFD
Promotion Initiative
Cap-Haïtien
Haiti
Final Report
This SFD Report – Comprehensive level – was prepared by the Inter-American Development Bank
in collaboration with OREPA Nord
Date of production: 20/09/2020
Last update: 25/11/2020
SFD Report Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, 2020
Produced by: Benjamin Biscan, Independent Consultant
Sergio Pérez Monforte, IDB
Lars Schöbitz, GmbH
Anthony Kilbride, Independent Consultant
Copyright © 2021. Inter-American Development Bank. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons IGO
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The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of
the Inter-American Development Bank, its Board of Directors, or the countries they represent.
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FOREWORD
The Inter-American Development Bank, through the
saniBID platform, seeks to promote the development
and implementation of optimal and non-conventional
sanitation solutions in the Latin America region. The
first step to identify solutions is to characterize the
state of the sanitation situation that could serve as a
baseline in the areas of intervention.
One well-known and globally accepted tool to analyse
the sanitation service delivery chain to identify its
strengths and weaknesses in any given area is the
Shit Flow Diagram (SFD) graphic. The tool was
developed by the SFD Promotion Initiative (SFD PI), a
consortium of partners working together to improve
excreta management in urban areas. The SFD PI is
supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
and managed by GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für
Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH) as part of the
Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA).
An SFD is an advocacy tool that aims to assist
technical and non-technical stakeholders in order
to implement plans and programs related to urban
sanitation. The SFD methodology is increasingly
being used to analyse the extent of safely-managed
sanitation in urban areas, providing a valuable
picture of the prevailing sanitation conditions, from
containment to disposal. As such, it is a widely
recognised advocacy and decision support tool that
aims to understand, communicate, and visualize how
wastewater and faecal sludge move within a city or
town. As stated on the SuSanA website, the SFD
methodology offers “a new and innovative way to
engage sanitation experts, political leaders and civil
society in coordinated discussions about excreta
management in their city”.
The SFD graphic is made using a free online tool,
the Graphic Generator (GG): https://sfd.susana.org/
data-to-graphic, and, to date, over 140 SFD reports,
which must pass a review process before publication
to assure the quality control mechanism of the SFD
PI, have been uploaded to the SuSanA website.
The production and publication of an SFD report
for Cap-Haïtien (Haiti) would help to visualise the
current sanitation situation in the city, resulting in a
potential to shift current activities and efforts towards
more efficient investments in the places along the
sanitation chain that need more attention, improving
the urban sanitation situation and the surrounding
environment of the city.
The structure of this SFD report consists of an
executive summary and the SFD report. The latter
includes: i) general city information describing its
main characteristics; ii) sanitation service outcomes,
with a thorough explanation of the SFD graphic
outcome and the assumptions made; iii) the service
delivery context analysis, which contains information
on the regulatory framework of water and sanitation
at country and city levels, and describes the city
plans, budget and future projects to improve the
sanitation situation and; iv) a detailed description
of the surveys, Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and
Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) conducted, as well
as the key stakeholders involved, field visits carried
out and references used to develop this SFD report.
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PROMOTION INITIATIVE 4
1. The Diagram
2. Diagram Information
SFD level:
This SFD is a level 3 - Comprehensive report.
Produced by:
Benjamin Biscan, Independent Consultant
Sergio Pérez Monforte, IDB
Lars Schöbitz, GmbH
Anthony Kilbride, Independent Consultant
Collaborating partners:
DINEPA
OREPA Nord
Status:
Final SFD report
Date of production:
20/09/2019
3. General City Information
Cap-Haïtien is located in Haiti, in the Caribbean region.
It is Haiti’s second largest city after its capital, Port-
au-Prince, with an estimated population of 404,766
in 2017 (IDB, 2017). The city of Cap-Haïtien is located
within the commune of Cap-Haïtien, which is divided
into three communal sections (sections communales),
the smallest official administrative unit.
For the SFD graphic, two of the most populous of
these three communal sections were used; they
were then further disaggregated into three zones,
each with three different types of housing. These
definitions of the urban space were defined as part
of a WASH household survey in 2017 that provides
representative data for the SFD graphic.
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It is estimated that 28% of the population lives in
informal settlements located in flood plains and in hilly
parts of the city. Population density ranges between
30,000 and 50,000 people/km
2
in these areas.
4. Service outcomes
Presented in Table 1, below, is the percentage of
population using different sanitation technologies.
A significant proportion of the population (11%) has
no sanitation facility and practices open defecation.
Types of septic tanks (37%) and different forms
of pit latrines (51%) are the most commonly used
technologies. Cap-Haïtien is one of two locations in
Haiti where a CBS toilet system (EkoLakay) is being
implemented as an alternative method for sanitation
(1%). The city has no sewer-based sanitation.
Containment
It was estimated that 82% of the population
using containment technologies are located in
areas of high risk of groundwater contamination
and where faecal sludge is not contained. The
remaining 18% are some pit latrines in informal
settlements of the hilly areas, and CBS toilets
located in informal settlements in low-lying areas.
Faecal sludge emptying and transportation
Four private companies were identified that use
mechanical methods (i.e. vacuum trucks) for emptying
Sanitation technology Percent
Pit latrine 51
Septic tank 37
Open defecation 11
CBS toilet 1
Table 1. Percentages of Population Using Different
Sanitation Technologies in Cap-Haïtien
and transporting faecal sludge. These services are
almost exclusively provided to households with septic
tanks for the reasons of their affordability, slurry-like
characteristics of faecal sludge, unlike pit sludge, and
accessibility to containments.
The vast majority of Cap-Haïtien’s population uses
manual emptying and transport services when
their sanitation technologies become full. In Haiti,
these service providers are referred to as bayakous.
The number of individuals who operate cannot be
estimated reliably. Services of bayakous are provided
at night and typically in groups. Simple tools such as
buckets and spades are used for clearing the pit or
tank. Bayakous usually enter into the pits almost bare
body, and without personal protective equipment.
The CBS system offers an alternative emptying and
transport method. Households that use the EkoLakay
service provided by SOIL are visited at least once
each week to collect a full container, leave a clean
empty container and provide a fresh supply of carbon
cover material. Containers are collected in modified
wheelbarrows or three-wheeled motorcycles and
transported to a neighbourhood depot for intermediate
storage to optimize logistics before they are transferred
with a flatbed truck to a treatment site, which is
approximately 12 km outside of the city.
Treatment
Four sites for disposal and/or treatment were
documented as part of the SFD assessment. One
site is located on the grounds of “Hôpital de la
Convention Baptiste d’Haïti” and managed by the
Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP).
An unofficial discharge location commissioned by
a private service provider is located outside of
Cap-Haïtien in the commune of Quartier Morin (the
“JEDCO site”). Daily quantities of faecal sludge
disposal are not recorded, but are estimated to be
11 m
3
/day, and no adequate treatment is provided.
A third site was officially built by National Water
and Sanitation Directorate (DINEPA) to service the
portable toilets for the national carnival of 2013.
It is now managed by L’Office Régionale de l’Eau
potable et de l’Assainissement (OREPA) Nord.
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The operating history of the site since 2013 is not
documented, but the site has been non-functional
for many years and is now closed. Considering
these sites are earmarked for disposal, away from
the habitat, although the sites are not appropriately
designed treatment plants, it is estimated that 10%
of excreta reaching the sites is safely treated. SOIL’s
composting (waste treatment) site in Mouchinette
(Limonade treatment site) is just across the road
from the OREPA Nord- managed site. Faecal
sludge (FS) collected in CBS toilets and brought
to SOIL´s site is safely (100%) treated. Regular
quality monitoring of the treatment product,
compost, is practised, and indicates that World
Health Organization standards for safe treatment
and re-use are met.
Final SFD graphic
The resulting SFD graphic shows that in total, 6% of
faecal sludge is safely managed in Cap-Haïtien and
94% is not safely managed.
The 94% of FS not safely managed consists of: 3% of
FS delivered to treatment but not treated; 63% of FS
not delivered to treatment; 18% of FS not contained
- not emptied; and 11% of FS that originates from
people practising open defecation.
5. Service delivery context
The framework law of 2009 on the organization of the
water and sanitation sector incorporates sanitation
into the responsibilities of the National Directorate
of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DINEPA). This
law also created the OREPAs (L’Office Régionale
de l’Eau potable et de l’Assainissement), which are
in charge of compliance with the standards and
directives developed by DINEPA. At the regional
level and, more specifically, for the city of Cap-
Haïtien, sanitation is the shared responsibility of
OREPA nord and the MSPP, and the Mayor of Cap-
Haïtien. Responsibilities for sanitation are divided
among municipalities and ministries, including
the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation,
and Communication (MTPTC), Ministry of the
Environment (MDE) and Ministry of Public
Health and Population (MSPP). A memorandum
of understanding (MoU) on the promotion of
sanitation, hygiene, and the living environment,
which was signed by these three ministries (MTPTC,
MSPP and MDE 2015) in January 2016, represents a
first step in organizing the sector.
While documents exist at the regional Inter-
ministerial Regional Planning Committee (IBI and
DAA, 2012) and municipal levels, no comprehensive
diagnostic and no planning document exist for the
sector at the city level. The total amount of planned
investments in the water and sanitation sector over
the next five years for the city of Cap-Haïtien is
estimated at USD 50 million. The main contributors
are the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB),
the Spanish Agency for International Development
Cooperation (AECID) and the United States Agency
for International Development (USAID).
The sanitation sector is almost exclusively private.
There is no technical or financial assistance for
households or owners wishing to install sanitation
technologies and there is currently no ongoing
public financing for excreta collection or treatment.
EkoLakay toilets, a container-based sanitation
developed by the NGO SOIL, offer a promising ‘zero-
construction’ alternative. It is an inexpensive service
for households to the extent that the payment is
on a monthly basis (amounting to a maximum of
3,600 HTG in a year; 42 USD) without high upfront
investment. This service is therefore more accessible
to low-income households and vulnerable segments
of the population.
6. Overview of stakeholders
In addition to government institutions, development
agencies and multi-lateral organisations highlighted
in “4. Service delivery context”, a number of NGOs
are active in sanitation service provision. SOIL, a
non-profit research and development organization,
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provides CBS systems where toilets collect human
excreta in sealable, removable containers that are
transported to treatment facilities when full. In the
private sector, a list of faecal sludge emptying service
providers exists, providing mechanical and manual
emptying services.
7. Credibility of data
The provided “SFD Source Evaluation Tool” was used
to score the credibility of data sources. In total, 41
sources scored either medium or high if they were
official, well-documented studies and conducted
within the past few years. Throughout the process
of producing the SFD graphic, one data source, the
household survey (n = 1,518), was used the most
and will continue to be used in many different ways
in the future. The field-based assessment included
approximately 20 key informant interviews (KIIs), 12
focus group discussions (FGDs) and a wide range
of observations, which supported the triangulation
of available data. Assumptions were made with
regards to percentages of faecal sludge emptied and
delivered to disposal sites by mechanical emptying
service providers.
8. Process of SFD development
Field-based data collection, including surveys, KIIs and
FGDs, was implemented between 27th June 2017 and
18th April 2018. A draft SFD graphic was produced,
Key Stakeholders Institutions / Organizations
Public institutions
DINEPA, OREPA, municipal
government, Health Ministry
Development partners
Inter-American Development
Bank (IDB), AECID (Spanish
Development Agency)
Private sector JEDCO
NGOs SOIL
Table 2. Overview of Stakeholders
presented and discussed publicly on 27th June 2018
at the city hall of Cap-Haïtien in the presence of more
than 80 representatives of public institutions (various
ministries, departmental agencies, and municipalities),
the private sector (bayakous and formal emptying
companies), NGOs and local associations (SOIL,
etc.), as well as technical and financial partners of the
Republic of Haiti (IDB, AECID, USAID). Standard SFD-
PI methodology and templates were used throughout
the entire process. The overall trajectory that the vast
majority of faecal sludge is being discharged to the
environment without treatment is generally accepted,
as no appropriate treatment plant for faecal sludge
exists. But, consensus needed to be reached on the
safety and scale of replacing pit latrines when full.
In any case, during the workshop, a consensus was
reached that the SFD graphic reflects the reality of
sanitation in Cap-Haïtien.
9. List of data sources
• Adamson, James, and Javan Miner. 2018. Report
III. “Well Inspection and Testing Report.”
• Adamson, James, Javan Miner, and Sarah Lindholm.
2018. “Report IV Modeling of Groundwater
Contamination Vulnerability Commune of Cap
Haïtien, Haïti.”
• Archambault, Aude, and Benjamin Biscan. 2018.
“ANALYSE ENVIRONNEMENTALE ET SOCIALE
(AES) (HA-L1135).”
• CNIGS. 2014. “Spatial Point Data of All Buildings
in Cap-Haïtien.”
• DINEPA. 2013. “DINEPA République d’Haïti
Référentiel Technique National EPA.”
• DINEPA, and République d’Haïti. 2014. “Document
d’orientation Stratégique Pour L’assainissement
En Haïti.
• Guillande, R. 2015. “Caractérisation et Cartographie
Du Risque Inondation et de Submersion Marine
Sur L’agglomération Du Cap-Haïtien.
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• IBI, and DAA. 2012. “Plan Stratégique de
Développement d’Haïti. Tome 1 Les Grands
Chantiers Pour Le Relèvement et Le
Développement d’Haïti.”
• IDB. 2017. “Demographic Household Survey
(N = 3090) Implemented by Inter-American
Development Bank and OREPA Nord.”
• IDB, and OREPA Nord. 2017. “Household Survey for
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Indicators (N = 1518).”
• IHSI. 2015. “L’Institut Haïtien de Statistique et
d’Informatique (IHSI) ‘Population Totale, de 18 Ans
et Plus - Ménages et Densités Estimés En 2015.’.”
• Ingénierie, BRL, and BRGM et PC. 2011. “Etude
de Faisabilité Pour La Réhabilitation, L’extension
Du Système AEP, La Réalisation Du Système
d’assainissement Des Rejets Liquides et La
Supervision de Travaux de La Ville de Cap Haïtien.
Rapport Final d’étude. Composante 1: Volet Eau
et Assainisseme.”
• Lozano Gracia, Nancy, and Marisa Garcia Lozano.
2017. “Haitian cities: Actions for today with an eye
on tomorrow.” 122880. The World Bank.
• MTPTC, MSPP, and MDE. 2015. “Protocole
d’accord Entre Le Ministère Des Travaux Publics,
Transports et Communication ; Le Ministère
de La Santé Publique et de La Population ;
Le Ministère de L’Environnement ; Portant
Promotion de L’assainissement, de L’hygiène et
Du Cadre de Vie.”
• République d’Haïti. 2009. “Loi Cadre Portant
Organisation Du Secteur de L’eau Potable et de
L’assainissement. Le Moniteur, (29), p. 1-12.”
Table Of Contents
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1. City Context
2. Service Outcomes
2.1 Overview
2.1.1 Containment
2.1.2 Emptying and transportation
2.1.3 Treatment infrastructure
2.1.4 End-use / Disposal
2.2 SFD matrix
2.2.1 Step 1: Containment
2.2.2 Step 2: Groundwater pollution
2.2.3 Step 3: Emptying
2.2.4 Step 4: Transport
2.2.5 Step 5: Treatment
2.3 SFD graphic
2.4 Quality / credibility of data sources
3. Service Delivery Context Analysis
3.1 Policy, legislation and regulations
3.1.1 Policy
3.1.2 Institutional roles
3.1.3 Service provision
3.1.4 Service standards
3.2 Planning
3.2.1 Service targets
3.2.2 Investments
3.3 Equity
3.3.1 Current choice of services for the urban poor
3.3.2 Plans and measures to reduce inequity
3.4 Output
3.4.1 Capacity to meet service needs, demands and targets
3.4.2 Monitoring and reporting access to services
3.5 Expansion
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4. Stakeholder Engagement
5. Acknowledgements
6. References
7. Appendix
7.1 Appendix 1: SFD Source Evaluation
Table 1. Types of sanitation technologies in Cap-Haïtien and
percentage of population with access (IDB and Nord 2017)
Table 2. Sanitation technologies and corresponding
containment according to the SFD-PI methodology, including
total population numbers and percentages
Table 3. Sanitation technologies and corresponding
containment according to the SFD-PI methodology, including
percentages of population using the technology in areas of low
and significant risk of groundwater pollution
Figure 1. Administrative boundaries of the three communal
sections of Cap-Haïtien commune. Colours further indicate a
categorization by the IDB into three zones and three types
of housing (IDB, 2017)
Figure 2. Urban expansion map of Cap-Haïtien for the years
of 1982, 2003 and 2017 (IDB, 2017)
Figure 3. Map of flood and runoff risks in the greater Cap-
Haïtien region (Guillande, 2015)
Figure 4. Population density in eight zones of Cap-Haïtien
Figure 5. Total population of Cap-Haïtien by zone and
housing type
List of Tables
List of Figures
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Figure 6. Types of sanitation technologies in Cap-Haïtien
and percentage of population with access, disaggregated
by eight different zones (IDB and Nord 2017)
Figure 7. Map of population percentages per zone practising
open defecation in Cap-Haïtien (IDB and Nord, 2017)
Figure 8. Two-compartment pit, commonly referred to as
septic tank, in Cap-Haïtien. Photo credit: Benjamin Biscan
Figure 9. New construction of two-compartment pit for a
health clinic, commonly referred to as septic tank in Cap-
Haïtien. Photo credit: Anthony Kilbride
Figure 10. Map of population percentages with septic tanks
in Cap-Haïtien (IDB and Nord 2017)
Figure 11. Map of population percentages with pit latrines in
Cap-Haïtien (IDB and Nord, 2017)
Figure 12. Pit latrines with unlined and brick-lined containment
and open bottom, commonly found in Cap-Haïtien
Figure 13. Construction of SOIL CBS toilets using locally
available materials (concrete). Photo credit: SOIL
Figure 14. SOIL CBS toilet and cover material (sugarcane
bagasse) on the right. Photo credit: SOIL
Figure 15. JEDCO truck turning off main road towards FS
dump site. Photo credit: Anthony Kilbride
Figure 16. Left: Image showing a latrine on left and the
emptying site is located immediately to the right, on the
slope in the middle of the picture. Right: 50-litre rice bags
filled with faecal sludge. Photo credit: Anthony Kilbride
Figure 17. SOIL collection of containers used inside CBS
toilets. Depending on the density of the neighbourhood,
appropriate modes of transport are developed, such as
modified wheelbarrows and three-wheeled motorcycles.
Photo credit: SOIL
Figure 18. Map showing the commune of Cap-Haïtien
and four neighbouring communes. Four disposal and/or
treatment sites are indicated with blue markers
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Figure 19. JEDCO truck dumping FS into ‘JEDCO’ site and
images of solid waste, indicating disposal of FS collected by
bayakous
Figure 20. DINEPA treatment site in Mouchinette, commune
Limonade. The site is managed by OREPA Nord
Figure 21. SOIL composting site. Transfer of container
content to composting bins and dis-infection of cleaned
buckets with chlorine solution. Photo credit: SOIL (left) and
Lars Schoebitz (right)
Figure 22. SFD selection grid
Figure 23. SFD matrix
Figure 24.
Final SFD graphic for the city of Cap-Haïtien
AECID
AFD
AI
ANARHY
CBS
CIAT
DINEPA
FGD
FS
FSM
HTG
IDB
KASAV
KII
MARNDR
MDE
MENFP
MDG
MICT
MoU
MPCE
MSPP
MTPTC
Abbreviations
Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation
Agence Française de Développement
Informal settlement
National Water Resources Agency (Agence Nationale des
Ressources Hydriques)
CBS. Container-based sanitation
CIAT. Interministerial Committee of Regional Development
DINEPA. National Directorate of Drinking Water and Sanitation
(Direction Nationale de l’Eau Potable et de l’Assainissement)
Focus Group Discussion
Faecal Sludge
Faecal Sludge Management
Haitian Gourde
Inter-American Development Bank
Social Action Committee for Sanitation in the City (Konbit Aksyon
Sosyal pou Asenisman Vil yo)
Key Informant Interview
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development
Ministry of the Environment
Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training
Millennium Development Goal
Ministry of the Interior and Regional Communities
Memorandum of Understanding
Ministry of Planning and Foreign Cooperation
Ministry of Public Health and Population
Ministry of Public Works, Transportation, and Communication
OD
OREPA
PU
PVC
SDG
SFD
SFD-PI
SOIL
SPU-MTPTC
TEPAC
UR
USAID
USD
VIP
WASH
Open Defecation
The Regional Office for Drinking Water and Sanitation (L’Office
Régionale de l’Eau potable et de l’Assainissement)
Peri-urban
Polyvinyl chloride
Sustainable Development Goal
Shit-Flow-Diagram
Shit Flow Diagram Promotion Initiative
Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods
Urban Planning Service
Drinking Water and Sanitation Technician for Communes
(Technicien en Eau Potable et en Assainissement pour les
Communes)
Urban
United States Agency for International Development
United States Dollar
Ventilated Improved Pit
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
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1. City Context
Cap-Haïtien is located in Haiti, in the Caribbean
region. It is Haiti’s second largest city after its
capital, Port-au-Prince. The city of Cap-Haïtien is
located within the commune of Cap-Haïtien, which
is divided into three communal sections (sections
communales), which are Haiti’s smallest official
administrative unit. These are (Figure 1):
• 1ère Bande du Nord,
• 2ème Haut du Cap,
• 3ème Petite Anse.
The population of the city of Cap-Haïtien can be
classified as living in urban, informal or peri-urban
areas (IDB, 2017). No rural population is considered
for the present study.
Criteria for the classification were density and type
of urban plot. Informal settlements corresponded to
the areas with the highest density and least urban
regularity. Based on the analysis of household data, it
is estimated that 70% of the population live in urban
areas, 2% in peri-urban areas and 28% in informal
settlements (IDB, 2017). The above analysis showed
a total population of 404,766 (IDB, 2017), with 5.02
inhabitants per household.
Cap-Haïtien is a flood-prone city, which is dissected
by the ‘Rivière du Haut du Cap’ (also called the
Mapou River). This river creates a large, permanent
water basin, the Bassin Rhodo, in the geographic
centre of the town. For decades, people have
settled unsafely along the river banks, in order to
access work opportunities in the city centre and the
municipal market. Between 2010 and 2015, there was
Figure 1. Administrative boundaries of the three communal sections of Cap-Haïtien commune.
Colours further indicate a categorization by the IDB into three zones and three types of housing
(IDB, 2017)
Housing type and zone
AI_Centre
UR_Centre
Housing type and zone
AI_2ème Haut du Cap
PU_2ème Haut du Cap
UR_2ème Haut du Cap
Housing type and zone
AI_3ème Petite Anse PU_3ème Petite Anse UR_3ème Petite Anse
Cap-Haïtien
3ème Petite Anse
2ème Haut du Cap
1ère Bande du Nord
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an estimated 32% increase in the number of roofs
that are within a radius of 50 m around the Haut du
Cap Bassin Rhodo (Lozano Gracia & Garcia Lozano,
2017, page 73, Figure 2).
Cap-Haïtien has grown rapidly since the 1980s.
Uncontrolled and unplanned urban growth has occurred
mainly along national highway #1, leading southwest
from downtown and along national highway #6 in the
southeast (Figure 2). This growth occurred in areas
where there is plain terrain available, which is especially
in the lower-lying parts of the city (< 100 m above sea
level). It is easier to carry out construction activities
in these areas as compared to the hilly northern and
western parts of the city, with an altitude rising from
100 m to approximately 700 m above sea level.
A significant part of the city is at a high (zone 3), very
high (zone 4) or extreme (zone 5) risk of flooding
(see Figure 3). Guillande (2015) created this flooding
vulnerability map using two digital data sources:
LiDAR and ORTHOPHOTO.
Figure 2. Urban expansion map of Cap-Haïtien for the years of 1982, 2003 and 2017 (IDB, 2017)
Légende
tache urbaine 1982
tache urbaine 2003
tache urbaine 2017
section communale
océan Atlantique
0 0.5 1 1.5 km
3ème Petite Anse
2ème Haut du Cap
1ère Bande du Nord
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According to the housing layer (CNIGS 2014), the
number of households located in danger zones 3, 4
and 5 make up 6% of the total number of households
1
.
However, given the uncontrolled urban growth since 1 Results based on spatial analysis of percentage of houses
located in three high-risk zones (CNIGS, 2014)
then, and the likely increase in flood risk caused
by the continued denudation of the surrounding
environment, it is likely that this figure is now higher
than 6%.
Sanitation technologies in these areas are either
permanently flooded or regularly overflow.
Figure 3. Map of flood and runoff risks in the greater Cap-Haïtien region (Guillande, 2015)
Légende
NIVEAU DE DANGER INONDATION ET ECOULEMENT
1 - Danger très faible à nul
6 - Danger faible à modéré en plaine
2 - Danger faible à modéré sur les pentes ou au pied des mornes
3 - Danger modéré à fort
4 - Danger fort à très fort
5 - Danger extrême
Google Satellite
0.75 0 0.75 1.5 2.25 3 km
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Figure 4 shows the population density for each of the
eight zones of the city, and Figure 5 presents the total
population per housing type and zone.
The climate in Cap-Haïtien is tropical, with significant
rainfall in most months of the year, ranging from
46 mm in July, to 253 mm in November, and a
total average of 1,595 mm per year. August is the
Figure 4. Population density in eight zones of Cap-Haïtien
Figure 5. Total population of Cap-Haïtien by zone and housing type
warmest month, with an average temperature of
26.9 °C, and January, with 22.9 °C, has the lowest
average monthly temperature. The annual average
temperature is 25.3 °C
2
.2 Data accessed on 2019-05-28: https://en.climate-data.org/
north-america/haiti/departement-du-nord/cap-haitien-3631/
Cap-Haïtien Population Density
[person/km2]
0 to 10,000
10,000 to 20,000
20,000 to 30,000
30,000 to 40,000
40,000 to 50,000
district
total population
300000
250000
200000
150000
100000
50000
0
informal settlement peri-urban urban
Centre
2ème Haut du Cap
3ème Petite Anse
0 1 2 km
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2. Service Outcomes
2.1 Overview
This section presents the range of Faecal Sludge
Management (FSM) infrastructure/technologies,
methods and services designed to support the
management of faecal sludge through the sanitation
service chain in Cap-Haïtien. Refer to Section 2.2 for
details on quantitative estimates for the resulting
SFD matrix.
In 2017, The Regional Office for Drinking Water and
Sanitation (OREPA) Nord, with support of the Inter-
American Development Bank (IDB), implemented a
household survey of 1,518 households in Cap-Haïtien
(IDB and Nord, 2017). This survey was designed to be
representative of the eight zones defined for the survey,
and data were analysed to provide disaggregated
results for septic tanks, pit latrines, container-based
sanitation (CBS) toilets and open defecation (OD).
2.1.1 Containment
Table 1 shows the percentage of the population
dependent on septic tanks and pit latrines. These
are the most commonly used sanitation technologies
in Cap-Haïtien, while a significant proportion of the
population has no sanitation facility and practices
OD. Cap-Haïtien is one of two locations in Haiti where
a CBS system is being implemented as an alternative
method for sanitation. The city has no sewer-based
sanitation, although there is an extensive system of
stormwater drainage in the town center, which likely
has some illegal wastewater connections to it.
In Figure 6, sanitation technologies are shown
disaggregated by eight zones. Results show that there
are significant differences among zones. For example,
OD in urban parts of communal section 3ème Petite
Anse is estimated to be as low as 5%, while OD rates
in peri-urban parts of the same communal section are
estimated to be 41%. This disaggregation demonstrates
the huge inequality in sanitation coverage in the city
and highlights the risk of representing the problem of
OD with a single statistic, i.e. 11%, for the whole city.
Table 1. Types of sanitation technologies in
Cap-Haïtien and percentage of population with
access (IDB and Nord 2017)
Sanitation technology Percent
Pit latrine (several types) 51
Septic tank 37
Open defecation 11
CBS toilet 1
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Open defecation
OD is highly prevalent in Cap-Haïtien (Figure 7).
While estimates for the entire city are relatively
low, disaggregated data show that some zones
experience between 30 to 50% of the zone’s
population have no sanitation facility. Based on key
informant interviews, even these percentages are
likely underestimated for some discrete habitations
of the informal settlements of the city, where it is
suggested that up to 11% of the total population
practice OD.
Figure 7. Map of population percentages per zone practising open defecation in Cap-Haïtien (IDB
and Nord, 2017)
Figure 6. Types of sanitation technologies in Cap-Haïtien and percentage of population with access, disaggregated by eight different zones (IDB and Nord 2017)
Cap-Haïtien Open Defecation [%]
0 to 10
10 to 20
20 to 30
30 to 40
40 to 50
UR_Centre
UR_3ème Petite Anse
UR_2ème Haut du Cap
PU_3ème Petite Anse
PU_2ème Haut du Cap
AI_Centre
AI_3ème Petite Anse
AI_2ème Haut du Cap
CBS toilet
Open defecation
Pit latrine
Septic tank
Sanitation
technology
percent
0 25 50 75 100
0 1 2 km
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Figure 8. Two-compartment pit, commonly
referred to in Cap-Haïtien as a septic tank.
Photo credit: Benjamin Biscan
Figure 9. New construction of two-compartment
pit for a health clinic, commonly referred to
as septic tank in Cap-Haïtien. Photo credit:
Anthony Kilbride
Septic tanks
Households with flush toilets (twalèt kònfo modèn,
in Creole) systematically refer to their containment
technology as a septic tank. However, these are
most commonly not a septic tank, but a two-
compartment pit (Figure 8 and Figure 9), of which
the first compartment is watertight and the second compartment serves as the soak pit, without an outlet
or overflow). Size of containment and emptying
frequency are unknown
3
.
3 Range from two to 20 years collected during diagnostic.
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Figure 10 shows that these technologies are most
prevalent in urban housing areas and zone Centre.
They are less prevalent in informal settlements, but
still make up a relatively large proportion of the total.
Pit latrines
Pit latrines are the most commonly used sanitation
technology in Cap-Haïtien (Figure 11). Containment
can be unlined, brick-lined and with or without an
open bottom, but such data on the integrity of the
containment is not available and is typically very hard
to establish. Based on the IDB and OREPA Nord (2017),
the large majority of the latrines are installed with a
slab and/or are ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines,
and could be considered a ‘basic’ sanitation solution
Figure 10. Map of population percentages with septic tanks in Cap-Haïtien (IDB and Nord 2017)
according to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)
guidelines (or ‘improved’ according to the superseded
Millennium Development Goal (MDG) guidelines).
On the other hand, the Key Informant Interviews
(KIIs) and observations conducted as part of the
production of the SFD graphic, show a greater
presence of unimproved latrines but lack the
same degree of representativity of the survey,
so additional analysis on this subject should be
conducted in the future.
Cap-Haïtien Septic Tank [%]
0 to 10
10 to 20
20 to 30
30 to 40
40 to 50
50 to 60
60 to 70
0 1 2 km
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Figure 12 shows pit latrines with unlined and brick-lined
containment. The size of containment is estimated at
a surface area of 2 m
2
and a depth ranging from 1.8
to 4.5 m, depending on water-table elevation. Typical
emptying frequency has been reported at two to four
years, depending on pit depth.
Figure 11. Map of population percentages with pit latrines in Cap-Haïtien (IDB and Nord, 2017)
Figure 12. Pit latrines with unlined and brick-lined containment and open bottom, commonly
found in Cap-Haïtien
Cap-Haïtien Pit Latrine [%]
30 to 40
40 to 50
50 to 60
60 to 70
0 1 2 km
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CBS toilets (EkoLakay)
CBS (Container-based Sanitation) is a system where
toilets collect human excreta in sealable, removable
containers (also called cartridges or buckets) that
are transported to treatment facilities when full. In
Haiti, this service is known as the EkoLakay Toilet
service and is provided by Sustainable Organic
Integrated Livelihoods (SOIL), a non-profit research
and development organization
4
.
4 For more details, see: https://www.oursoil.org/who-we-
are/about-soil/
The EkoLakay service is marketed to households in dense urban settlements. Households pay a monthly
fee of 200 - 300 HTG
5
to rent a SOIL toilet and
receive a carbon-based cover material to “flush” the
toilet (Figure 13 and Figure 14). Full containers are
collected on a weekly basis, exchanged for clean
containers and waste is transported and treated at a
composting facility (more details in Section 2.1.2 and
Section 2.1.3). In Cap-Haïtien, approximately 1,000
households currently use this service, which has been
implemented in two neighbourhoods of Petit Anse:
Shada/Fort St. Michel and Aviasyon.
5 2.04 to 3.06 USD (29th April 2020)
Figure 13. Construction of SOIL CBS toilets
using locally available materials (concrete).
Photo credit: SOIL
Figure 14. SOIL CBS toilet and cover material
(sugarcane bagasse) on the right. Photo
credit: SOIL
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2.1.2 Emptying and transportation
Mechanical emptying and transport services
At the time of this SFD assessment, four trucks (two
‘public’ and two ‘private’) were actively operating in
Cap-Haïtien:
• JEDCO: One truck of 3,000 gallons
6
(Figure 15)
• GOLSA: One truck of 5,000 gallons
• OREPA Nord: One truck of 1,000 gallons, for use
only for public institutions (public toilets, schools
and hospitals).
• Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP):
One truck of 1,000 gallons, operated by the
Cholera Treatment Center, which collects sludge
from the hospital and sometimes from schools.
Note that, in addition to the active trucks based in
Cap-Haïtien, both JEDCO and GOLSA can mobilize
trucks from Port-au-Prince to drive to Cap-Haïtien
for specific jobs. SANCO, who do not have a truck
based permanently in Cap-Haïtien, also send a truck
from Port-au-Prince periodically to service the prison
under their contract with the Ministry of Justice.
Therefore, Port-au-Prince-based companies and their
fleets, if not considered ‘active’ in Cap-Haïtien, should
at least be considered as potential resources for any
FSM strategy development.
Costs for a single mechanical emptying, including
truck voyage and discharge, range from 20,000 HTG
to 25,000 HTG
7
. The cost is fixed ‘per voyage’, i.e. the
cost applies regardless of whether the truck fills up
completely. Mechanical emptying services are almost
exclusively provided to households with septic tanks.
Reasons include:
6 1 US gallon ~ 3.8 litres
7 203.72 USD to 254.65 USD (29th April 2020)
• ability to pump, due to liquid nature of FS
(compared to pit latrines);
• ability to pump, due to lower solid waste content
(compared to pit latrines); and
• accessibility of the containment technology
(compared to pit latrines).
In terms of physical accessibility to septic tanks, results of a spatial analysis (IDB, 2017) have
shown that 82% of households in urban areas and
50% of households in informal settlements could
theoretically receive mechanical emptying services.
The analysis was performed by adding a 10-metre
buffer to the road network and calculating the
percentage of houses in each housing area type that
are located within 30 metres of a road, which can
be used by a truck. Furthermore, service providers
tend to refuse the emptying of pit latrines, as these
contain a significant amount of solid waste (e.g.
broken glass), which can damage the pump and
hose pipes of vacuum trucks.
Figure 15. JEDCO truck turning off main road
towards FS dump site. Photo credit: Anthony
Kilbride
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Manual emptying and transport services
Services of bayakous are provided at night and
typically in groups. Simple tools such as buckets and
spades are used to empty the pit or tank. Bayakous
usually enter into the pits almost bare body, and
without personal protective equipment.
Depending on the depth of the pit, costs for manual
emptying service are in the range of 10,000 HTG
8
(110 USD) for pits of 4.5 m
3
of volume, to 20,000
HTG (220 USD) for pits of 9 m
3
. In comparison,
construction of a new toilet is higher (reported
at 289 to 579 USD) and therefore, households are
incentivized to empty a full latrine rather than build
a new one. Furthermore, lack of available space
does not allow for building new infrastructure and
it is therefore assumed that the entire population
of Cap-Haïtien empties a containment once
full. The proportion of households that empty 8 “On 2019-05-16: 1 HTG ~ 0.011 USD”
Figure 16. Left: Image showing a latrine on left and the emptying site is located immediately to the
right, on the slope in the middle of the picture. Right: 50-litre rice bags filled with faecal sludge.
Photo credit: Anthony Kilbride
containments themselves, for example during
flooding events, is unknown.
If sufficient bare land is available on the property, the
house owner allows bayakous to bury emptied sludge
onsite, by digging a hole specifically for this purpose.
The detailed procedure is unknown and from interviews
it can be assumed that burying is not done safely
(Figure 16). More often in the urban environment there
is no space available, and so sludge is transferred with
buckets into 50-litre rice bags that are transported
in wheelbarrows at a maximum distance of one to
two kilometres. Without any dedicated location for
disposal or treatment, bags are dumped into nearby
streams, rivers or the sea.
More often in the urban environment there is no
space available, and so sludge is transferred with
buckets into 50-litre rice bags that are transported
in wheelbarrows at a maximum distance of one to
two kilometres. Without any dedicated location for
disposal or treatment, bags are dumped into nearby
streams, rivers or the sea.
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JEDCO reported sometimes using bayakous to empty
latrines, if clients requested that service. Their cost is
fixed at 30,000 HTG
9
, i.e. more expensive than their
mechanical emptying service. JEDCO provide 30 x
55 gallon drums (i.e. total volume of 1,650 gallons ~ 6
m
3
) and a truck to take the drums away to a JEDCO
disposal site (Figure 19).
In the past, there was an effort by the city hall to
support bayakous with operating licenses, which would
be provided for a fee. The goal was to recognize the
existence and need for services provided by bayakous
and to improve working conditions. Licensing stopped
a few years ago, after little progress was made to
address the demand of bayakous for support and
provision of dedicated FS disposal locations.
A thorough mapping exercise of bayakous is a
necessary, albeit difficult task, in order to advance
Cap-Haïtien’s FSM strategy. One group, ‘SANITAS’,
who provide bayakou services to JEDCO, report
that bayakous operate geographically, according to
operational zones. Another group, ‘KASAV’ (Konbit
Aksyon Sosyal pou Asenisman Vil yo), comprising
some of the more senior bayakous, was organized in
December 2018 under the guidance of the Limonade-
based private company, Spiral Group.
CBS system
Households that use the EkoLakay service provided
by SOIL are visited at least once each week to collect
a full container, leave a clean empty container and
provide a fresh supply of carbon cover material. The
monthly fee for services ranges from 200 HTG
10
for
mobile payments, to 250 HTG
11
for cash payments
at the depot and 300 HTG
12
for payments in cash
through door-to-door payment collections. The
goal is to transition to 100% mobile payments. SOIL
technicians are sent to customers in the even that
toilet repair or maintenance is needed.
9 305.58 USD (29
th
April 2020)
10 2.04 USD (29
th
April 2020)
11 2.55 USD (29
th
April 2020)
12 3.06 USD (29
th
April 2020)
Containers are collected in modified wheelbarrows or three-wheeled motorcycles and transported to a
neighbourhood depot for intermediate storage to
optimize logistics (Figure 17). Currently, six vehicles
are operated, with one additional vehicle available
as a back-up. Containers are stored at the depot for
approximately one day before they are transferred
(three trips per week) with a flat-bed truck (capacity
of 500 containers) to a treatment site, which is
approximately 12 km outside of the city.
Figure 17. SOIL collection of containers used
inside CBS toilets. Depending on the density
of the neighbourhood, appropriate modes of
transport are developed, such as modified
wheelbarrows and three-wheeled motorcycles.
Photo credit: SOIL
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2.1.3 Treatment infrastructure
Four sites for disposal and/or treatment were
documented as part of the SFD assessment.
Figure 18 shows a map of Cap-Haïtien commune
and the four neighbouring communes. Each site is
identified with a blue marker. The “3 Baies” natural
protected area is shown in a shade of green. Below,
is a description of each individual site.
MSPP
This site is located on the grounds of Hôpital de
la Convention Baptiste d’Haïti at the “Carrefour
Lamò” intersection. FS collected by the truck of
the Cholera Treatment Center is discharged here.
The treatment consists of three steps: (1) chlorine
disinfection, (2) dewatering and drying on two
unplanted drying beds, (3) and final disposal
through burying of dried sludge onsite. No liquid
effluent treatment is provided. Daily quantities and
effectiveness of treatment are unknown. As this site
only concerns the Cholera Treatment Center, it was
not included in the production of the SFD graphic.
Figure 18. Map showing the commune of Cap-Haïtien and four neighbouring communes. Four
disposal and/or treatment sites are indicated with blue markers
JEDCO
This site is located outside of Cap-Haïtien in the
commune of Quartier Morin. It is basically an unlined
hole dug in the ground (surface area: 15 m x 15 m), with
a low wall surrounding three sides of the hole (Figure
19). The hole is on private land and was commissioned
by JEDCO approximately 10 years ago. JEDCO pay an
annual fee to use the land; a fee is paid to the landowner,
as well as to the mayor of Quartier Morin. However,
the site is open to the public and used by many other
groups, including GOLSA, SANITAS, and SANCO. A site
observation in June 2019 revealed that solid waste and
FS collected by bayakous is also dumped at this site,
outside the brick walls that provide limited protection.
Daily quantities discharged at this site are unknown.
Leaflet | Tses © Esri – Esri, DeLorme, NAVTEQ, TomTom, Intermap, iPC, USGS, FAO, NPS, NRCAN, GeoBase,
Kadaster INL, Ordinance Survey, Esri Japan, METI, Esri China (Hong Kong), and the GIS User Community
Name
3 Baies - protected area
Cap Haitien
DINEPA site
SOIL site
Quartier Morin
Limonade
Plaine du Nord
Millot
JEDCO site
MSPP site
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DINEPA
The National Directorate of Drinking Water and
Sanitation (DINEPA) site, now managed by OREPA
Nord, was built to service the portable toilets for the
national carnival of 2013 (Figure 20). The site was
designed and constructed by Golder Associates, a
private company based in the USA.
Figure 19. JEDCO truck dumping FS into JEDCO site and images of solid waste, indicating disposal
of FS collected by bayakous
The site is composed of two reception basins and
a single retention basin. The operating history of
the site since 2013 is not documented, but the site
has been non-functional for many years and is now
closed. Approximately 60% of the site footprint,
on the eastern side of the site, is inside the natural
protected area of ‘3 Baies’.
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SOIL composting site
SOIL’s composting (waste treatment) site in
Mouchinette is just across the road from the OREPA
Nord-managed site. It was commissioned in 2012
and has increased its capacity gradually, in line
with the waste it receives from the CBS toilets.
The thermophilic composting operation uses batch
processing; a single batch is the volume contained
within a compost bin. The basic waste treatment
unit is a compost bin (2m x 5m x 1.5m deep) and a
Figure 20. DINEPA treatment site in Mouchinette, commune Limonade. The site is managed by
OREPA Nord
Figure 21. SOIL composting site. Transfer of container content to composting bins and disinfection
of cleaned buckets with chlorine solution. Photo credit: SOIL (left) and Lars Schoebitz (right)
series of three adjoining spaces to turn the compost
(Figure 21).
The waste treatment process (from the compost bin
to the first, second, and then, third, space) can take
up to six months per batch. The compost bins and
adjoining spaces are covered. An on-site laboratory
verifies the safety of the composting process. After
six months, compost is sieved and sold as a rich
organic compost called ‘Kopos Lakay’. The SOIL site
is the only safe waste treatment site in Cap-Haïtien.
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Uncontrolled site
A fifth site near Carrefour Lamò was mentioned but
could not be visited. It would seem that this site
is also more of an uncontrolled dumping site for
private trucks.
2.1.4 End-use / Disposal
Only the SOIL composting site produces an end-
use product, an organic compost called ‘Kopos
Figure 22. SFD selection grid
Lakay’ marketed as ‘Eko Lakay’. SOIL currently
produce five tons of compost per month.
2.2 SFD Matrix
The following sections include a detailed
explanation of all assumptions that were made
to derive percentages for the final SFD graphic
presented and discussed in Section 2.3. Figure 22
shows the SFD selection grid and Figure 23 depicts
the SFD matrix.
List A: Where does
de toilet discharge
to? (i.e. what type
of containment
technology, if any?)
List B: What is the containment technology connected to? (i.e. where does the outlet or overflow discharge to, if anything?)
to centralised
combined
sewer
to centralised
foul/separate
sewer
to
decentralised
combined
sewer
to
decentralised
foul/separate
sewer
to soakpit
to open drain
or storm
sewer
to water
body
to open
ground
to “don’t
know where”
no outlet or
overflow
No onsite container.
Toilet discharges
directly to destination
given in List B
Significan risk
of GW pollution
Not
ApplicableLow risk of GW
pollution
Septic tank
Significan risk
of GW pollution
T1A2C5
Fully lined tank (sealed)
T2A3C5
T1A3C10
Low risk of GW
pollution
Lined tank with
impermeable walls and
open bottom
Significan risk
of GW pollution
Significan risk
of GW pollution
Significan risk
of GW pollution
Significan risk
of GW pollution
Significan risk
of GW pollution
Significan risk
of GW pollution
Low risk of GW
pollution
Low risk of GW
pollution
Low risk of GW
pollution
Low risk of GW
pollution
Low risk of GW
pollution
Low risk of GW
pollution
Lined pit with semi-
permeable walls and
open bottom
Not Applicable
T2A5C10
T1A5C10
Unlined pit
Significan risk
of GW pollution
Low risk of GW
pollution
Pit (all types),
never emptied but
abandoned when full
and covered with soil Significan risk
of GW pollution
Low risk of GW
pollution
Pit (all types), never
emptied, abandoned
when full but NOT
covered with soil
Toilet failed, damage,
collapsed or flooded
Containment (septic
tank or tank or pit
litrine) failed, damaged,
collapsed or flooded
No toilet. Open
defecation
Not Applicable
T1B11 C7 TO
C9
Not
Applicable
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Figure 23. SFD matrix
Cap-Haïtien, Department Nord, Haiti, 20 Sep 2019. SFD Level: 3 - Comprehensive SFD
Population: 404766
Proportion of tanks: septic tanks: 100%, fully lined tanks, 100%, lined, open bottom tanks: 100%
System label Pop F3 F4 F5
System description
Proportion of
population using
this type of
system
Proportion of this
type of system
from which faecal
sludge is emptied
Proportion of
faecal sludge
emptied, which
is delivered to
treatment plants
Proportion of
faecal sludge
delivered to
treatment plants,
which is treated
T1A2C5
Septic tank connected to soak pit
8.0 90.0 10.0 10.0
T1A3C10
Fully lined tank (sealed), no outlet
or overflow 1.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
T1A5C10
Lined pit with semi-permeable
walls and open bottom, no outlet
or overflow
10.0 64.0 0.0 0.0
T1B11 C7 TO C9
Open defecation
11.0
T2A3C5
Fully lined tank (sealed) connected
to a soak pit, where there is a
“significant risk” of groundwater
pollution
29.0 90.0 10.0 10.0
T2A5C10
Lined pit with semi-permeable
walls and open bottom, no outlet
or overflow, where there is a
“significant risk” of groundwater
pollution
41.0 64.0 0.0 0.0
2.2.1 Step 1: Containment
The SFD-PI methodology uses a set of defined
containment technologies to categorize sanitation
technologies. For Cap-Haïtien, detailed information
is not available about the underground construction
of containment technologies. Therefore, assumptions
need to be made to categorize available sanitation
technologies.
Septic tanks were split into: 10% of septic tanks
connected to a soak pit and 90% of fully-lined
tanks (sealed) connected to a soak pit in order to
reflect the reality that technologies referred to as
septic tanks are mostly two-compartment pits. Pit
latrines are categorized as lined pits with semi-
permeable walls and open bottom, and CBS toilets
as fully-lined tanks (sealed) with no outlet or
overflow. Table 2 shows the SFD-PI methodology
containment definitions for each of the sanitation
technologies, with respective estimates for
population numbers and percentages, which are
rounded to the nearest integer.
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Table 2. Sanitation technologies and corresponding containment according to the SFD-PI
methodology, including total population numbers and percentages
Sanitation technology
Containment name according to
the SFD-PI methodology
Population Percent
CBS toilet
Fully-lined tank (sealed), no outlet or
overflow
4,048 1
Open defecation No toilet. Open defecation 44,524 11
Pit latrine
Lined pit with semi-permeable
walls and open bottom
206,431 51
Septic tank
Fully-lined tank (sealed)
connected to a soak pit
117,382 29
Septic tank
Septic tank connected to a soak
pit
32,381 8
Total 404,766 100
2.2.2 Step 2: Groundwater pollution
An assessment of the potential for groundwater
pollution was made for each of the eight zones
(Figure 1). For each zone and containment
technology, the consultant assessed the percentage
of containment types with low and significant risk
of groundwater pollution. The tool provided by
the SFD-PI methodology was used for guidance
13
.
Outcomes were discussed during KIIs and a final
assessment was prepared.
Q1: Vulnerability of the aquifer
A large portion of Cap-Haïtien is underlain by the
Plain du Nord alluvial aquifer, which is considered
one of Haiti’s largest aquifers, spanning over 270
square-kilometres. The aquifer is the primary
water supply of Cap-Haïtien and communities
in the Plaine du Nord. The aquifer also supports
private residential, commercial, industrial and
agricultural water demands and is considered a
critical resource for the future water security of
Cap-Haïtien. Aquifer contamination vulnerability
is dependent on a variety of factors that include
depth to groundwater, recharge dynamics, aquifer
media, shallow soil media, topography and land
13 See here for details: https://sfd.susana.org/risk-groundwater
use/sanitation practices. Adamson et al. (2018) analysed aquifer contamination vulnerability based
on a model that incorporated these factors. Their
study also presented bacteriological analyses of
wells throughout the aquifer, demonstrating that
large areas of the shallow aquifer exceed DINEPA
standards for E. coli bacteria. The shallow nature of
the aquifer’s potentiometric surface, especially in
the low-lying areas and plains with sandier soils and
aquifer media, are especially vulnerable in areas of
higher density development.
Result: The Plaine du Nord aquifer is a critical water
supply that underlies much of Cap-Haïtien and has
low to significant risk for groundwater contamination,
influenced by a range of factors. Areas outside the
aquifer limits and in the hills have a lower risk for
groundwater contamination.
Q2: Lateral separation
A spatial analysis was performed to identify the
percentage of sanitation facilities that are located
<10m from groundwater sources. As data on the exact
location of sanitation technologies are not available,
houses were used as a proxy. The analysis has shown
that approximately 25% of houses are located within
10m from groundwater sources. The analysis also
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revealed that more than 25% of houses are located
uphill of groundwater sources.
Result: Significant risk of groundwater pollution for
Cap-Haïtien as a whole.
Q3 and Q4: Water supply and water
production
Municipal water supply is from a series of
production wells located in Balan. The wells function
intermittently due to a variety of maintenance,
management, operation and technical issues
(Adamson and Miner, 2018). Water collected from
springs in the hills are productive only during
the rainy season and with really low water flows
(Ingénierie and BRGM et PC, 2011).
The latest inventory identified more than 400
private wells and boreholes, which are largely
unprotected. Water from wells for all domestic
purposes is used by 60% of the population and
as drinking water for 37% of the population (IDB
and Nord 2017). Although 77% of drinking water
originates from private stands where water is
supposed to be treated, the water is also extracted
from unprotected, underlying groundwater.
Result: Significant risk of groundwater pollution for
Cap-Haïtien as a whole.
Overall risk
The overall risk of groundwater pollution in all urban
areas is considered significant. It is only in some
parts of the informal settlements of Haut du Cap
and Centre, and the peri-urban areas of Haut du Cap
where the risk is considered low. This is largely due
to the fact that sanitation technologies are on hills
with great enough of a distance from groundwater
sources. Based on local knowledge of the contributing
authors, low risk was estimated for:
• 20% of pit latrines in zone AI_centre.
• 20% of pit latrines in zone AI_2éme Haut du Cap.
• 20% of pit latrines in zone PU_2éme Haut du Cap.
• 10% of septic tanks in zone AI_centre.
• 10% of septic tanks in zone AI_2éme Haut du Cap.
• 20% of septic tanks in zone PU_2éme Haut du Cap.
Table 3 shows the resulting total percentages of
sanitation technologies that are considered to be
in areas of low and significant risk of groundwater
pollution. In total, 3% of the population have
sanitation technologies located in areas of low risk for
groundwater pollution and are therefore considered
as “FS contained”, while for 97% of the population, the
result is “FS not contained”. Data can be disaggregated
by zone, which would make it possible to produce
eight SFD graphics. This disaggregation will be useful
for the planning process to provide adequate solutions
based on the specific characteristics of each zone.
Table 3. Sanitation technologies and corresponding containment according to the SFD-PI
methodology, including percentages of population using the technology in areas of low and
significant risk of groundwater pollution
Sanitation technology
Containment name according to the SFD-PI
methodology
Significant risk
[%] and system
name
Low risk [%]
and system
name
Septic tank
Fully-lined tank (sealed) connected to a soak pit 29 (T2A3C5) 0
Septic tank sealed connected to a soak pit 0 8 (T1A3C5)
Pit latrine
Lined pit with semi-permeable walls and open
bottom
41 (T2A5C10) 10 (T1A5C10)
Open defecation No toilet. Open defecation
11 (T1B11 C7 TO
C9)
0
CBS toilet Fully-lined tank (sealed), no outlet or overflow 1 (T1A3C10) 0
Total 82 18
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The proportion of FS in septic tanks, fully-lined tanks
and all types of pits were all set to 100%, as per the
guidance given in the Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQs) on the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance
(SuSanA) website.
2.2.3 Step 3: Emptying
Seven different methods of FS emptying were
identified for Cap-Haïtien:
1. “Flushing out” by removing bricks during heavy
rain and flooding or connecting a PVC pipe to a
nearby stream or drain.
2. Manual emptying by house owner or tenant,
discharge locally.
3. Manual emptier (bayakous), discharge locally.
4. Manual emptier (bayakous), collection in 50-litre
rice bags and limited transport (< 2 km).
5. Manual emptier (bayakous), collection in 55-gallon
(208 litres) drums and motorized transport on trucks.
6. Manual collection of CBS toilet containers,
transport on modified wheelbarrows, three-
wheelers and trucks.
7. Mechanical emptying with vacuum trucks.
Detailed information on the scale of these methods
is not available and would require a dedicated FS
quantification survey to be conducted in order to
make reasonable estimates. However, it is assumed
that 20% of the population with pit latrines throughout
Cap-Haïtien does not empty the containment when
full, but covers the pit with soil to replace it with a
new one. For the remaining population, it is assumed
that one of the seven emptying methods is applied
when the containment becomes full.
Despite the lack of data, emptying efficiency was
assumed as 90% for tanks and 80% for pits as
previously reported in other SFD reports with similar
sanitation systems (Shrestha et al., 2020). Therefore,
variable F3 = 80% x 0.8 = 64% for pits (systems
T1A5C10 and T2A5C10) and variable F3 = 100% x 0.9
= 90% for tanks (systems T1A2C5 and T2A3C5). For
system T1A3C10 (CBS system), F3 = 100% since the
full container is collected, as explained in Section 2.1.2.
2.2.4 Step 4: Transport
Of the seven identified emptying methods, it is only
those with motorized transport that can deliver FS to
a treatment plant. Data for collection and transport
of CBS toilet containers shows that 100% of all
containers are also delivered to treatment (variable
F4 set to 100% for system T1A3C10).
In the absence of data for the remaining emptying
and transport methods, and based on the available
truck fleet for the city, it is assumed that a maximum
of 10% of FS from septic tanks collected by
mechanical emptying with vacuum trucks in urban
areas is delivered to treatment (variable F4 set to
10% for systems T1A2C5 and T2A3C5). All remaining
FS is considered to not be delivered to treatment and
is discharged either locally or to streams, rivers and
the ocean (variable F4 for pits, i.e. systems T1A5C10
and T2A5C10 is set to 0%).
2.2.5 Step 5: Treatment
Of the FS that is delivered to treatment, it is only
that of CBS toilet containers that is safely treated.
Regular quality monitoring of the treatment
product, compost, is practised and indicates that
World Health Organization standards for safe
treatment and re-use are met. Therefore, 100% is
considered safely treated (variable F5 for system
T1A3C10 set to 100%).
FS collected by mechanical emptying methods is
considered to be delivered to the site commissioned
by JEDCO. Considering these sites are earmarked for
disposal, away from the habitat, although the sites
are not appropriately designed treatment plants, it
is considered that 10% of excreta reaching the sites
is safely treated (variable F5 for systems T1A2C5
and T2A3C5 set to 10%). For pits (systems T1A5C10
and T2A5C10), variable F5 = 0% since no faecal
sludge from pits reaches any disposal site, as stated
in Section 2.2.4. For system T1A3C10 (CBS system),
variable F5 = 100%, since all faecal sludge from this
system is treated in the SOIL composting site, as
stated in Section 2.1.3.
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2.3 SFD graphic
Presented in Figure 24 is the resulting SFD graphic,
based on the above data collection and assumptions.
The assessment shows that in total, 6% of FS is safely
managed in Cap-Haïtien and 94% is not safely managed.
This final 6% consists of FS from those households that
have access to the CBS toilet service, FS from a small
number of households with pit latrines that are in areas
of low risk for groundwater pollution and cover the pit
with soil to replace it with a new one when it is full, and
by considering a small portion of FS treated off-site.
The 94% of FS not safely managed consists of: 3% of
FS delivered to treatment but not treated; 63% of FS
not delivered to treatment; 18% of FS not contained
- not emptied and 11% of FS that originates from
people practising open defecation.
An immediate action could be to commission a site
for safe disposal of the 32% of FS that is not treated
at the current (JEDCO site) discharge location.
A safe discharge location would likely also result
in a greater percentage of FS to be delivered to
treatment that is currently not. This is because all
formal service providers would prefer to discharge
FS safely if they had the choice.
However, the greatest increase in safely managed
sanitation could be achieved by a combination of
technical solutions that should form an overall FSM
strategy. These include:
Figure 24. Final SFD graphic for the city of Cap-Haïtien
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1. Provision of a dedicated (emergency) treatment
plant for FS from pit latrines and septic tanks.
2. Provision of transfer stations for intermittent
storage of manually-collected FS by bayakous.
3. Provision of mechanical transport methods to
deliver stored FS from transfer stations to a
dedicated treatment plant.
4. Increase of CBS services, specifically in areas with
significant risk of groundwater pollution.
In addition to technical solutions, there is a wide range
of non-technical methods that can increase demand
for safe emptying and transport of FS. These include:
1. Awareness-raising campaigns to inform the
population about safe and unsafe methods for FSM.
2. Formal recognition and licensing of FS-emptying
service provider as legal services.
3. Support in business development and marketing
of FS-emptying services.
4. Financial incentive for discharge of FS at
Limonade treatment site.
2.4 Quality / credibility of data sources
The provided “SFD Source Evaluation Tool”
14
(Appendix 1) was used to score the credibility of data
sources. In total, 41 sources scored either medium or
high if they were official, well-documented studies
and conducted within the past few years.
Throughout the process of the production of the SFD
graphic, one data source, the household survey, was
used the most and will continue to be used in many
different ways in the future. Therefore, it is important
to discuss this data source and its data collection and
analysis process in order to learn from it for more
efficient implementation in the future.
The household survey that was implemented in
2017 collected data to compute 38 indicators. The
questionnaire was part of a larger national survey,
the “inventaire national”, undertaken by DINEPA in all
communes of Haiti to establish a solid baseline for
14 Access tool here: https://www.susana.org/_resources/
documents/default/3-3525-7-1548074582.xlsm
planning and implementation of water, sanitation and
hygiene programmes.
For Cap-Haïtien, this national survey was adapted by the
IDB to include more detailed questions on sanitation,
specifically for planning of FSM infrastructure. The
original questionnaire was designed in French and then
translated into Creole. The Fulcrum software package,
which requires a professional licence obtained by
paying a fee, was used for data collection and storage
by the survey’s main enumerators: the Drinking Water
and Sanitation Technician for Communes (TEPACs).
Raw data in the database were stored in Creole and
then cleaned and interpreted by an IDB statistician
to compute an indicator database in French. Another
statistician has then used this French database,
together with results of a second demographic survey,
to establish summarized indicators for the entire
population in each of the eight zones.
Learnings:
1. Questions in Creole are not well-formulated. This
leads to misinterpretations by surveyors and
households.
2. Interpretation of Creole raw data for computation
of indicators is unclear and not reproducible.
3. Datasets are lacking metadata and codebooks
that describe each variable and response values.
Recommendations:
1. Translated questionnaires need to be validated and
field-tested with professionals who understand
the language and have knowledge of the context
of the survey.
2. Transformation and interpretation of raw data into a
set of indicators should ideally be written in code, so
that each step can be reproduced. If that is not feasible,
then each interpretation and manipulation needs to
be well-documented in a data analysis notebook,
which forms part of the metadata and should always
be shared, together with final indicators.
3. The minimum metadata that should be provided
with raw datasets is a codebook that describes each
variable (i.e. column in a dataframe) and response
categories. This ensures that those who use the data
fully understand the meaning of the information.
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3. Service Delivery Context Analysis
3.1 Policy, legislation and regulations
3.1.1 Policy
Sanitation is underfunded in the WASH sector in
Haiti. The legal framework of the sector is outdated
and scattered throughout several legislative texts
pertaining to urban and rural development and
hygiene. Responsibilities for sanitation are divided
among municipalities and ministries, including
the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation, and
Communication (MTPTC), Ministry of the Environment
(MDE) and Ministry of Public Health and Population
(MSPP). A memorandum of understanding (MoU)
on the promotion of sanitation, hygiene, and the
living environment, which was signed by these three
ministries (MTPTC, MSPP, and MDE 2015) in January
2016, represents a first step in organizing the sector.
However, it is not known if this MoU has resulted in any
actions or follow-up at a local level.
3.1.2 Institutional roles
The framework law of 2009 on the organization of the
water and sanitation sector incorporates sanitation
into the responsibilities of the National Directorate
of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DINEPA), under
the guidance of the MTPTC, particularly in defining
a sanitation policy (République d’Haïti, 2009).
However, the framework law makes very little mention
of sanitation in general, and no mention of individual
household sanitation. Specifically, DINEPA’s mandate
has three main parts:
• development of the WASH sector nationally;
• regulation of the sector;
• monitoring of the actors.
A “Strategic Guidance Document for Sanitation
in Haiti” was produced, but has not translated into
policy or local action (DINEPA and République
d’Haïti, 2014). It has set a goal of reaching national
sanitation coverage of 90% by 2022.
Concerning the powers of each of the two other
ministries involved, their main mandates in connection
with sanitation are:
• Ministry of the Environment – Department of the
Living Environment and Sanitation: Draw up and
enforce rules, standards, and recommendations for
procedures related to excreta and wastewater.
• Ministry of Public Health and Population: Draw
up and oversee the enforcement of technical and
sanitation standards related to public hygiene.
Other ministries are involved in the sanitation sector
(DINEPA and République d’Haïti, 2014):
• The Ministry of National Education and Vocational
Training (MENFP), in connection with sanitation in
the schools and environmental education, ensures
compliance with environmental standards in
schools and introduction of hygiene principles in
basic education curricula.
• The Ministry of the Interior and Regional
Communities (MICT), through the municipalities,
the Ministry of Planning and Foreign Cooperation
(MPCE), the Interministerial Committee of Regional
Development (CIAT), the Urban Planning Service
(SPU-MTPTC) and the Ministry of Agriculture,
Natural Resources, and Rural Development
(MARNDR), respectively, is responsible for
enforcing local laws, regional development,
management of catchment areas for the potential
reuse of treated effluent, if applicable.
Finally, at the national level, a bill was voted on in 2017
for the creation of an autonomous body (ANARHY:
Agence Nationale des Ressources Hydriques)
charged with implementing the government policy
on regulating the water and sanitation sector without
specifying its sanitation mandate. The coordination
between this new entity and DINEPA does not yet
seem clearly defined for the moment.
The framework law of 2009 also created the
OREPAs (L’Office Régionale de l’Eau potable et de
l’Assainissement) in charge of compliance with the
standards and directives developed by DINEPA. At
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the regional level and, more specifically, for the city of
Cap-Haïtien, sanitation is the shared responsibility of
OREPA Nord, the Health Department of Nord (MSPP)
and the municipality of Cap-Haïtien.
3.1.3 Service provision
While DINEPA, in its sector strategy (DINEPA and
République d’Haïti, 2014), encourages the diversification
of service management models, service provision in
FSM is essentially private or, in a few cases, provided by
NGOs, without private-public partnership.
Households rely on private companies for de-sludging
service. The vast majority of Cap-Haïtien uses manual
emptying and transport services when their latrines
become full. In Haiti, these service providers are
referred to as bayakous. The number of individuals who
operate in Cap-Haïtien cannot be reliably estimated.
In Cap-Haïtien, four private companies were
identified that use mechanical methods (i.e. vacuum
trucks) for emptying and transportation of faecal
sludge (FS): JEDCO, GOLSA, Cap Sanitation Services
and Clean X. These companies provide services in
Cap-Haïtien, but JEDCO and GOLSA have a larger
presence in Port-au-Prince.
Each treatment site is operated by the owner of the
site (private company or public agency).
In Cap-Haïtien, an “EkoLakay Toilet” service is provided
by Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods (SOIL),
a non-profit research and development organization
15
.
3.1.4 Service standards
In 2013, DINEPA published the technical reference
for the Drinking Water and Sanitation sector
16
. The
general technical requirements apply to operations
15 For more details, see:
https://www.oursoil.org/who-we-are/about-soil/
16 For more details, see:
https://dinepa.gouv.ht/lereferentieltechnique/index.html
to be carried out in Haiti and fall within the scope of competence of DINEPA.
However, there is no effluent discharge standard for
wastewater and sewage.
3.2 Planning
3.2.1 Service targets
While documents exist at the regional Interministerial
Regional Planning Committee (IBI and DAA, 2012) and
municipal levels, no comprehensive diagnostic and no
planning document exist for the sector at the city level.
At the national level, the sector goal is to achieve 90%
sanitation coverage by 2022, through: i) the installation
of about 20 sanitation services in the four OREPAs, in
collaboration with the MSPP Hygiene Department; ii)
encouraging families to build 500,000 new sanitary
facilities and improve 700,000 existing toilets; and
iii) the use of 12,000 public sanitary facilities, with the
full involvement of the responsible state authorities,
the formalization of 20 emptying services and the
commissioning of 20 treatment plants, in collaboration
with the Ministry of the Environment (DINEPA and
République d’Haïti, 2014).
3.2.2 Investments
The total amount of planned investments in the water
and sanitation sector over the next five years for the
city of Cap-Haïtien is estimated at USD 50 million. The
main contributors are IDB and the Spanish Agency
for International Development Cooperation (AECID),
with some limited additional support from the
United States Agency for International Development
(USAID). Most of the investments will be dedicated to
the improvement of the drinking water supply to jump
from the present 900 clients to more than 16,000. The
radical improvement in access to safe drinking water is
expected to have a major impact on the use and type
of sanitation facilities in the coming years, as well as
the dependence on household wells for water supply.
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Based on the above and on the SFD graphic results,
a flexible scheme is proposed for the improvement
of sanitation in the city. This scheme includes several
actions: i) semi-collective type condominial sanitation
solutions for the city centre and slums; ii) increasing
the CBS (Container-based Sanitation) client base; iii)
rehabilitation of the faecal sludge treatment plant;
iv) improved management of sludge from both
mechanical and manual emptying, including the
construction of transfer stations; and v) the inclusion
of a sanitation levy in the water bill, to cover sanitation
operational expenses for sanitation infrastructure.
3.3 Equity
3.3.1 Current choice of services for the
urban poor
The sanitation sector is almost exclusively private.
There is no technical or financial assistance for
households or owners wishing to install sanitation
technologies and there is currently no ongoing public
financing for excreta collection or treatment. The
market is underdeveloped, unorganized and provides
no financially affordable or technically appropriate
solutions for the majority of households.
In floodplains in the city, compliance with technical
specifications for “conventional” solutions, such
as watertight or above-ground pits, has proven
to be technically difficult and expensive (DINEPA,
2013). Therefore, the dwellers of this inhospitable
environment, the poorest of the poor, must pay the
highest construction costs for a safely-contained
toilet, or must resort to open defecation.
3.3.2 Plans and measures to reduce
inequity
EkoLakay toilets offer a promising ‘zero-construction’
alternative. It is an inexpensive service for households
to the extent that the payment is on a monthly basis
(amounting to a maximum of 3,600 HTG per year; 42
USD). Importantly, signing up for the service does not
require large lump investments in infrastructure or pit-
emptying. As such, this service is more accessible to
low-income households and the vulnerable segment
of the population.
3.4 Output
3.4.1 Capacity to meet service needs,
demands and targets
Sanitation in Haiti is essentially self-sustaining and
entirely at the expense of the inhabitants. Between
1990 and 2015, and despite the investment made since
the cholera outbreak in 2010, access to improved
sanitation has decreased by three percentage points
for the poorest 40% in urban areas (World Bank,
2018). Therefore, it is unlikely that the current capacity
of the sector will be adequate to meet service needs,
demands and objectives.
The EkoLakay service is only available to a limited
number of customers at present, and would require
financial support to be extended.
3.4.2 Monitoring and reporting access
to services
At the national level, DINEPA undertakes activities
aimed at a better knowledge of the different
private operators working in the sector and a better
understanding of the system, in accordance with
and through the systems established by the National
Observatory of DINEPA (DINEPA and République
d’Haïti, 2014). However, only a small amount of data
is available for the sector (and nothing for urban
sanitation). Most of the available information comes
from international agencies, in particular the Joint
Monitoring Program (OMS and UNICEF).
There is no regular monitoring and reporting on
access to services at the municipal level. The most
up-to-date information is based on the Demographic
Household Survey, implemented by Inter-American
Development Bank and OREPA Nord in 2017.
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3.5 Expansion
In urban areas, such as Cap-Haïtien, there are
currently no plans to stimulate demand for services
or strengthen the public and private sectors.
4. Stakeholder Engagement
The proposed tools of the SFD-PI methodology
were used for stakeholder engagement and data
collection. All planning and execution of engagement
activities was carried out jointly with OREPA Nord.
Key information interviews
Between 27
th
June 2017 and 18
th
April 2018, KIIs were
performed with approximately 20 representatives at
the national, regional and municipal levels. Another
set of KIIs was performed in June 2019 to fill some
remaining gaps of the initial SFD graphic.
Focus group discussions
Twelve FGDs were organised, which approximately
150 people attended.
• Ten FGDs with households. These FGDs were
distributed throughout 10 neighbourhoods of the
city to get a representative picture of the different
typologies of neighbourhoods.
• One FGD with sanitation officers (DSN-MSPP).
• One FGD with manual emptying service providers
(bayakous).
Observations
A wide range of observations have supported the
triangulation of quantitative and qualitative data.
Local SFD event
The results of the SFD graphic were presented and
discussed publicly on 27
th
June 2018 at the city
hall of Cap-Haïtien in the presence of more than
80 representatives of public institutions (various
ministries, departmental agencies and municipalities),
the private sector (bayakous and formal emptying
companies), NGOs and local associations (SOIL,
etc.), as well as technical and financial partners of the
Republic of Haiti (IDB, AECID, USAID).
During the workshop, the SFD graphic was widely
discussed in its most important aspects and a
consensus was reached.
5. Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to everyone who
participated in the discussions and the development
of this SFD report. They include: Guito Edouard
(General Director – DINEPA), Edwige Petit (Director
- Sanitation Division DINEPA), Poisson Bernardin
(Director – OREPA NORD), Durant Leroy Edniss
(TEPAC), Jean-Claude Mondésir (Principal Mayor of
Cap-Haïtien), Frantzy Jean (Director of the City Hall
of Cap-Haïtien), Maria Rodríguez Vera (IDB); as well
as Franciot Wanelus, assistant consultant, for their
involvement in this project.
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7. Appendix
7.1 Appendix 1: SFD Source Evaluation