Proper waste management is important aspect of water safety. Human waste seeping into ground water can be a way of spreading disease through a community. Compost latrines were constructed in Mare Brignol in order to facilitate the proper disposal of waste.

EWB-UCF designed and tested the latrines at the university under similar conditions to which were anticipated to be under while abroad. The methods were fairly primitive and many obstacles were encountered along the way; the concrete had to be mixed in a tarp by tossing it around to the proper slump, a circular form had to be created for the ring beam and top slab, and acquiring and cleaning the right size aggregate was a feat on its own. These measures were undertaken without modern machinery and building practices so that the process could be easily mimicked in Mare Brignol when without the need for outside assistance. The idea behind the project, as is the basis of EWB itself, was to create and teach a method that will better the community’s quality of life. This way, members of the community will not be dependent on the frequency of outsider visits.

The criteria that was set for the design of the latrines were to 1) allow for aerobic decomposition 2) be reusable/durable and 3) be relatively easy to create. The latrine needed a one meter pit to be the collection chamber for organics only, but needed to stay dry, so a diverter was installed to redirect liquids into a separate chamber. On top of the hole, the concrete ring beam was placed, followed by the cover slab and the cap for the hole in the slab. Two ventilation pipes were installed as well. They were L shaped with one end in the pit and the other sprouted to the side of the ring beam. The ventilation pipes were covered with a net to keep out insects. This design is estimated to allow for the accumulation of waste for an average family for about 6 months. After the pit is filled and the contents are completely composted, a plant can be safely planted in the compost. The latrine system, including the ring, cover slab, and cap can be moved to another location once another one-meter pit has been prepared in order to create another compost spot.