Global MDG Challenge

2.5 billion with no sanitation
1.75 billion to be served by 2015

450 million new installations by 2015

95,000 installations per day to 2015

Member Organization

The EcoSanRes (Ecological Sanitation Research) Programme aims to develop and promote sustainable sanitation in the developing world through capacity development and knowledge management as a contribution to equity, health, poverty alleviation, and improved environmental quality.

EcoSanRes is funded by Sida and is a member of the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance (SuSanA) and the African Sanitation Knowledge Network (ASKNet). A key outcome of the current phase of EcoSanRes is the creation of Knowledge Nodes. EcoSanRes is also a partner in the IFAD-funded project on productive sanitation in Aguié Province, Niger.

Primary school students in Zimbabwe learn how to build simple and upgradeable toilets

• Factsheets on sustainable sanitation issues.
• Publications, including "Toilets That Make Compost", "Pathways for Sustainable Sanitation" and our classic "Ecological Sanitation: Revised and Enlarged Edition".  Most of our publications are available for download free of charge, and we are gradually adding translations of popular publications into other languages.
• Information on our ecosan discussion group.
• And how to get in contact with us!

• Toilet Talks: A Documentary on Ecological Sanitation. Produced by EcoSanRes (SEI) and IFRC. Read more and view the documentary in English, Tamil or Sinhalese. (Posted: 4 February 2010)
• Peter Morgan wins the AMCOW "AfricaSan honor for Technical Innovation". Peter Morgan's book "Toilets That Make Compost" are available in English and French and can be downloaded here. Read the official press release from the 2nd Africa Water Week. (Posted: 13 November 2009)
• Ecological Sanitation: Revised and Enlarged Edition now available in Tamil. Our classic book is now available for download in Tamil. Download it now [PDF: 3.78MB] (Posted: 13 November 2009)
• "Big, Sweet Tomatoes" - program, presentation, and summary from the 2009 World Water Week event. Read more... (Posted 17 September 2009)
• NEW PUBLICATION: ESR 2009-1 "Comparing Sanitation Systems Using Sustainability Criteria" - Read more and download the publication... (Posted: 7 September 2009)
• Proceedings of the Regional Workshop on Sustainable Sanitation in South Asia - Using SACOSAN IV, 2010 in Sri Lanka as a common platform. Read more... (Posted June 2009)
• Evaluation of the Appropriateness of Ecological Sanitation in Relation to the Social, Cultural and Economic and Financial Context of Sri Lanka - a Unicef-funded report by Constanze Windberg.  Read more... (Posted: 25 March 2009)
• Special Session on gender equity in sanitation service delivery at WWF5, Istanbul. Monday 16 March 2009, 14:30 – 18:30. Read more... (Posted: 12 March 2009)
• "Ecological Toilets" - a new book by Peter Morgan, available now as a pre-production draft. (Posted: 5 March 2009)
• "The Global Sanitation Crisis" - a special issue of Notes d'Aigua from Fundació Agbar. Read more... (Posted 6 February 2009)
• Improve Food Security - Combine Productive Sanitation, Conservation Agriculture and Water Harvesting.  Seminar proceedings from the 2008 World Water Week including download links for the presentations.  Read more...  (Posted 19 December 2008) 
• Financial Adviser job vacancy with WASTE. WASTE is leading partner in a number of programmes that aim to provide sanitation and solid waste management to the urban poor.  Read more...  (Posted 18 December 2008)
• Pathways for Sustainable Sanitation - Achieving the Millennium Development Goals. A new publication from EcoSanRes, published by IWA.  Order your copy now! Read more... (Posted 29 October 2008)

Additional news and announcements can be found in our news archive