Handwashing stations rolled out to informal settlements to help fight disease

As frequent hand washing is recognised as one of the key ways to fight the spread of the coronavirus, two companies have come together to install more than 100 hands-free washing facilities in urban informal settlements across the country.

This was in response to the Covid-19 battle the country faces.

A partnership with Environsan Sanitation Solutions and Jojo resulted in the creation of hands-free wash facilities to address school and urban informal settlements’ hygiene and sanitation challenges.

The handsfree wash, known as EaziWash facilities, is made up of self-closing and self-cleaning taps and basins that are activated with the back of the user’s hands, minimising the potential spread of germs and bacteria on the wash facilities.

According to Brian Lewis, who is the managing director of Envirosan Sanitation Solutions, the EaziWash facilities can fit on any size tank and a team of two would take about five to six hours to install a facility.

He said that Envirosan was working on the drainage solution, considering that the tanks needed to be filled up in the communities.

“This design principle can be applied to any size tank, and we can increase the number of hand-wash stations on bigger tanks, while still maintaining social distancing requirements. Envirosan is also working on the drainage solution. As always, the filling of these tanks in communities needs to be considered, therefore the bigger the tank, the better.”

The installation of the self-closing and self-cleaning taps and basins will have to be done on-site, and Envirosan will provide training. The installation would depend on the soil conditions as well as site topography, but generally, a team of two people can install a unit within five to six hours,” said Lewis.

Lewis explained that they had installed almost 200 EaziWash facilities in various parts of the country and were expected to supply a further 600 units by the end of the year.

He said that the tanks were securely fastened on to a stand preventing them from being stolen or blown away by the wind.
“To date, we have installed close to 200 EaziWash facilities throughout the country, including the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, KZN, North West, Free State, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, and Northern Cape. We will be installing our first units in Limpopo next week. We expect to supply and install a further 600 units by the end of the year.

The EaziWash stands are positioned, levelled and secured on to specially engineered precast foundation blocks that are placed below ground level and backfilled/covered thereafter.

“Preventing it from any damage,” Lewis said.

Envirosan was receiving support from private sector donors to run a project in informal settlements in the northern parts of Johannesburg.

The project uses a two-litre plastic bottle mounted into a wall fitted with a self-closing tip tap valve, a ribbed soap holder, and a peg incorporated to accommodate a face cloth. This was to assist those who do not have safe or reliable access to water.

Cliff Musamba, who ran the project, said the community appreciated the initiative.

He called upon those who would like to donate to the project, encouraging individuals, companies and faith-based organisations to assist.

“It was very special to see the way the community organised where the units should be placed and who would have responsibility for keeping the bottles filled and looking after the soap.

“Each unit costs R65 and includes a bar of soap. You can help a home with a hand-washing unit for just R65.

“Individuals, companies, and faith-based organisations are encouraged to assist with the broader rollout by making a donation via EFT,” Musamba said.

sonrin@citizen.co.za

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