Soil Stability - Jar Test
In a crisis, time is of the essence. Sanitation needs must be met, but there is little time to respond to the growing needs and even less time to think about the impact of decisions made quickly. Pits for latrines are frequently dug without careful consideration of the soil composition. Over time, unstable soil can result in a collapsed pit, putting latrine users and emptiers at risk and threatening public and environmental health.
Time taken to assess soil stability before building the latrines is time well spent. In this lesson, you will learn how to conduct a simple jar test to assess the soil composition. Later you can use the results from the test to determine an appropriate pit lining that will prevent collapse.
Soil Stability - Jar Test
In a crisis, time is of the essence. Sanitation needs must be met, but there is little time to respond to the growing needs and even less time to think about the impact of decisions made quickly. Pits for latrines are frequently dug without careful consideration of the soil composition. Over time, unstable soil can result in a collapsed pit, putting latrine users and emptiers at risk and threatening public and environmental health.
Time taken to assess soil stability before building the latrines is time well spent. In this lesson, you will learn how to conduct a simple jar test to assess the soil composition. Later you can use the results from the test to determine an appropriate pit lining that will prevent collapse.
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CAWST is a Canadian charity and licensed engineering firm. We address the global need for safe drinking water and sanitation by building local knowledge and skills on household solutions people can implement themselves.
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Development of this website and creation of collections of emergency themed tools on Water Treatment, Water Quality Testing, Behavior Change and Sanitation funded by Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance - USAID.
This project is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of CAWST (Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
