How to Develop Septage Management Project Proposals

How to Develop Septage Management Project Proposals

By: Dave Robbins, BeSecureWhy pursue septage management programs?

Enables on-site and decentralized systems Improves sanitation community-wide Its the law

Clean Water ActEach LGU shall appropriate the necessary land for the construction of the sewage and/or septage treatment facilities.

Each LGU may raise funds to subsidize necessary expenses for the operation and maintenance of sewerage treatment or septage facility through local property taxes and enforcement of a service fee system.

Why Develop a septage management proposal

Organizes ideas and concepts Communicates program goals and objectives For regulatory approval To obtain fundingGeneral steps in developing the proposal

Understand the problem baseline conditions Identify potential solutions Stakeholders and TWG Select preferred options Cost / benefit analysis Determine tasks needed - Scheduling Estimate resources required - Budgeting Communicating proposal preparation and delivery

Formatting and organizingTools

Case studies and success stories are useful tools careful documentation and sharing lessons learned is key

Use Gantt charts to schedule activities

Stakeholder driven ProcessUnderstanding the 3 pillars of septage management

9 Promotions ApproachesInfrastructure, Products, & ServicesSupportive EnvironmentEnsuring that all needed pieces are in place at the same time in the same place, increases, likelihood of success. Maximum potential for change exists here.Understand the problem

Evidence gatheringFocus group discussions (FGDs)Interviews with key stakeholdersSurveys, Rapid Technical AssessmentsStakeholder meetingsConsensus that the problem is real and immediateAgreement to work together to solve the problemInfrastructure

Collection vehicles, treatment plant Evidence gatheringNumber of septic tanksAverage volumeAccess constraints

ToolkitsNumber and size of trucksCost/benefit Analysis

Rapid Technical Assessment

Survey technique determines:

Number of septic tanks in coverage area Average volume of residential and commercial tanks Accessibility of site by desludging truck Proper access ports on tank Distance from truck parking to tank Elevation gain or loss from truck to tank

Rapid Technical AssessmentTechnique developed for San Fernando La union and used in 2009. Improved method pilot tested in Indonesia January 2015. Data used as inputs to septage management toolkit.

Interactive Septage Management ToolkitThe toolkit helps users to determine design flow for facility sizing which is then used to cost out the collection and treatment, and then help set a sustainable tariff. The tool is available for down load at www.watsanexp.blogspot.com.13Septage Management Toolkit

Excel based spreadsheet Determines design flow based onDesludging intervalHours of operationDays of operation per week Determines number of trucks Cost of OPEX and CAPEXOutputs provide the basis of design of the infrastructure

Cost / Benefit Analysis

Now that you know the design flow Evaluate different technologies for CAPEX Compare costs of OPEX-Energy consumption-Ease of operations-Land use (for treatment systems)-Longevity of the infrastructure

Technical Pitfalls

Site selection

Now that you know the system area requirementsYou can select the site. Some considerations: Accessibility distance to populations, roads, bridges Geohazards flooding, landslides, others Soils and topography Access to utilities, size, cost, ownership

Site development planHint: Begin laying out infrastructure to verify the preferred technologies fit. Gently sloping sites may allow for gravity flow from one component to the next.

Process Flow Diagram

Site selection

Volume per dayParcel size required5 cubic meters per day400 square meters10 cubic meters per day600 square meters15 cubic meters per day800 square meters20 cubic meters per day.1000 square meters

Financial PitfallsProjectionsCurrent septage tariff per cubic meter of water2.5PesosAverage monthly cost per residential user45Pesos Average monthly cost per commercial user100PesosCommunity Growth Rate - residential5%Community Growth Rate - Commercial/Institutional2%Adjusted overall growth rate3.8%Annual Inflation rate5% Daily flow at year 09cubic meters Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5Year 6Year 7Year 8Year 9Year 10Number of homes6,3006,6156,9467,2937,6588,0418,4438,8659,3089,773Number of commercial/institutional700714728743758773788804820837Daily flow (cubic meters per day)9101011111112121313Monthly Income - Residential283,500297,675312,559328,187344,596361,826379,917398,913418,859439,802Monthly Income - Commercial70,00071,40072,82874,28575,77077,28678,83180,40882,01683,656Total monthly income353,500369,075385,387402,471420,366439,111458,748479,321500,875523,458Total Annual income4,242,0004,428,9004,624,6414,829,6555,044,3955,269,3385,504,9825,751,8526,010,4976,281,496Total residual (annual)795,521823,785848,193868,123882,881891,703893,740888,0532,228,8262,204,467Collection expenses1,418,1071,543,0851,679,0781,827,0551,988,0742,163,2842,353,9342,561,3872,787,1233,032,752Operation expense subject to inflation673,150706,808742,148779,255818,218859,129902,085947,190994,5491,044,277Fixed Operations Expenses1,355,2221,355,2221,355,2221,355,2221,355,2221,355,2221,355,2221,355,22200total Expenses3,446,4793,605,1153,776,4483,961,5324,161,5144,377,6344,611,2414,863,7983,781,6724,077,029Total Residual (cumulative)795,5211,619,3062,467,5003,335,6224,218,5035,110,2076,003,9476,892,0009,120,82611,325,293Promotions

They can raise awareness, increase willingness to paySeptage management proposals should include a promotions plan:

Evidence based-Surveys-Focus Group Discussions-Interviews Stakeholder driven planning Outreach (media & message)-Posters, -Flyers, newsletters-School plays, street theater Monitoring and evaluation

USAID, Waterlinks, ADBwww.waterlinks.org

The right and wrong septic tankExample of local promotions campaignCampaign from Dumaguete. Notice what is going on in the picture? I have seen this one actually used right here in Tacloban. While this one doesnt speak to desludging per se, it helps illustrate the scope of the problem and serves to educate and raise awareness of the issues.22Enabling Environment

Regulatory frameworkLocal ordinancePolicies, procedures, Incentives, enforcement Training and capacity building-Mentoring & twinning-Job sharing, apprenticeships Access to financing-Developing the business plan-Showing bankability, cost recovery User fees and tariffs

Works for water. Could it work for septage management?Key Issues & Decisions

Service delivery model: Scheduled vs. call-for-service Partners LGU, WD, Private sector Tariff schedule and billing mechanism (fair, pro-poor) Combining with other programs (neighboring LGUs) Treatment facility location -- NIMBY Technology package trucks, treatment, reuseProposalcheck list

ActivityProposal format consistent with NSSMP requirementsProject is consistent with Local Sustainable Sanitation Plan (DOH) Strong partnerships identified (LGU, WD, Private Sector)Project has stated support from mayor, WD GM, regional officialsProject proposals are evidence-based on baseline informationLocal ordinance on sanitation is proposed or in placePromotions plan is reasonable and appropriate for identified needsFacility location supported by public hearingsCost/benefit analysis performed for technology packageNo opportunity to integrate with neighbors or regional programSupport network identified (Twinning partner, engineering team)Factors reviewers might look for in good proposals