Consumers choice ... the sanitation ladder : rural sanitation options in Lao PDR

Six rural sanitation options are presented which have been identified as technically feasible by central and local government professional staff in Lao PDR. The options have developed by using a sanitation ladder, whereby increasingly higher levels of service options are displayed, with approximate price tags. The six chosen options are: improved traditional practice (open defaecation); conventional dry latrine; lid/cover latrine; ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine; single pit pour flush latrine; and septic tank system. For each option the sanitation ladder presents:
basic characteristics of infrastructure and the environmental conditions for which each is suitable; advantages and disadvantages; estimated capital and recurrent costs; productive life of the infrastructure created (working life); users' responsibilities for operations and maintenance; and materials required.