After determining the exact number of new toilet stalls and urinal spaces that need to be added to the campus through a technical site visit (see the Sanitation Infrastructure Standard for this process), the local Infrastructure Team will create a campus specific Bill of Quantities (BOQ), and hire a contractor to complete the work.  The exact location of where the newly constructed infrastructure will be placed on a campus is decided through consultation with the school management.

If the local government requires a licensed engineer to officially approve of the design of the new sanitation facility, then Splash must hire a non-Splash licensed engineer.  This person must check and approve the design, and be the Engineer of Record for the design.  This is to protect Splash from long-term liability and risk.

The design details and standard dimensions of all new sanitation construction should be based on Splash’s standard design package (such as the Stantec design package for Addis Ababa).  When the particular city does not have a Splash standard design package for new sanitation construction, all sanitation work must be based on the local national building standards and WASH standard guidelines.

Splash must obtain or ensure that contractors obtain all necessary permits and licenses to conduct the necessary rehab, demo, and construction work at every campus.

Splash must supervise all contractors' work to ensure the quality and quantity of the materials and methods of construction during the work.  All sanitation plumbing must be connected to functional water storage, and Splash handwashing stations must be installed for the new sanitation during the construction process.  For more details on the specific volume of water storage required and the number of handwashing taps (there must be at least 1 HW tap per 3 sanitation fixtures located within 5 meters of the sanitation facility door), see the  Water Storage and Handwashing Infrastructure standards.

Upon completion of the new construction, one of Splash's local infrastructure team must conduct a final walk-through with the contractors to check all construction quality, and to make sure that the contractor finished all construction clean-up and debris removal.  During the walk-through, all infrastructure must be tested - water flowing, toilets flushed, drains used, etc.  After the final walk-through and approval of the work, Splash will release the final payment to the contractors.  It is Splash's (and the contractors that we hire) responsibility to have all debris, junk, and other waste from all demolition, rehab, and construction work removed from the school grounds and correctly disposed.

After the final walk-through with the contractors, a local Infrastructure Team member must complete the hand-off of the completed sanitation infrastructure with the school management.  This hand-off must include an explanation of all work completed, O&M expectations of the site and of Splash, giving of sanitation cleaning kit (see standard below for info on composition of cleaning kit), and explaining that the school now fully owns the completed infrastructure.

Note on Demolition: If demolition is required (see Sanitation Infrastructure standard for more details) and if new toilet stalls or urinal spaces are added to replace the toilet stalls and urinal spaces that were demolished then the new toilet stalls and urinal spaces must be recorded and categorized as New Construction, not Rehab.

On a global scale, all Splash implementations should be completed to the same high level of quality.  Regardless of the site-to-site variability, we maintain that every Splash sanitation implementation, regardless if it is new construction or just rehabilitation, should provide access for all to the same high level of quality of sanitation as any of Splash's other implementations around the world. A list of necessary categories and components for every Splash sanitation facility (rehab and new) can be found below:

All Splash New Construction and Rehab of Existing Sanitation Facilities Must Include or Account for each of the following:

Access for All - Access to the sanitation facility must be cleared and walkable with no hazards (standing water, large holes, etc.) or impediments to access.

Aesthetic Improvements - All sanitation facilities should be visually child-friendly and inviting.  This is to be achieved through painting, landscaping, and the design of the structure. Positive messaging can also be added.

Behavioral Nudges - In concert with the local and global Behavior Change Teams, the local and global WASH Infrastructure Teams will determine what behavioral nudges to install at each sanitation facility. Sanitation behavioral nudges can include: footsteps to handwashing stations, mirrors, stall doors that stay open when not locked, and janitorial logs.

Child Friendly Design - Every aspect and component of the sanitation facility must be designed and installed with the user in mind. One example, only toilet pans that are the proper size for the users should be installed, and the flushing mechanism must be able to be reached by the shortest user.

Cleaning Starter Kit - A cleaning starter kit consisting of cleaning supplies and tools must be provided to the cleaning staff at the school site at the end of every sanitation implementation. This kit will contain cleaning solutions, bucket, mop/broom, gloves, and any other items deemed necessary by the Local Infrastructure Team.

Contractor Oversight - Sanitation implementations often require external contractors to complete the complex work. The local WASH Infrastructure Lead is responsible for the oversight, inspection, and management of all contractors at the site.

Durable Functional Fixtures - All toilet pans and urinals must be durable enough to last for over 10 years in the environment in which they are installed. At damage-prone sites, ceramic (aka Turkish) fixtures should never be installed. If metal fixtures are to be installed, then they must not be able to rust or corrode even in the highly corrosive environment of the sanitation facility.  In order to reduce water usage and increase durability, cistern (aka pull) flush toilets should never be installed.

Fecal Sludge Management - The local WASH Infrastructure Team must consider the path of the fecal sludge and how it is to be transported. Connection to a city sanitary sewer system that includes safe off-site treatment is preferred where available. If on-site septic tanks or pits are to be used, then Splash must make sure that they are not leaking and that the school has pumper trucks able to empty the septic system when needed. Hand-emptying is never acceptable.

Gender Segregation - All sanitation facilities serving users older than kindergarten must be gender specific. The sanitation facility must have separate entrances for each gender and must have clear signage indicating gender restrictions.

Handwashing Stations - Every sanitation facility must have at least 1 handwashing tap per every three sanitation fixtures. These taps must be located within 5 m of the sanitation facility exit and placed in the direct line of sight and path of the average user as they exit the facility.

Inside Every Stall - Every stall must have an automatic shut-off tap, a bucket for flushing, a hook for hanging clothing or bags, a waste basket (specifically an MH waste basket in female stalls), durable pan, lighting (incl. natural), easy-to-clean floor and lower wall surfaces, and ventilation.

Lighting - Natural lighting through the use of wall openings or translucent roofing is preferred to electrical lighting. Regardless of the source of light, all stalls must have sufficient light when the door is closed. An easy test is to check if a normal paper can be easily read when standing inside the stall with the door closed.

Menstrual Hygiene Management - Every female toilet stall at every site serving female beneficiaries age 10 or above must include the following components: tap, soap dish, wall-mounted hook, menstrual waste bin, and vessel for water. A full-length mirror must be installed inside each female sanitation facility as well.  Separate MHM rooms or MHM designated stalls are not acceptable.  The global and local MH teams will define if any other MH related infrastructure is to be installed in each specific city.

O&M Agreements - For every site, an operations and maintenance agreement must be written and signed with the school management. This agreement outlines the responsibilities of the school to clean the sanitation facilities, and to seek technical assistance if those facilities become clogged or otherwise non-functional.

Pest Prevention - The local WASH Infrastructure Team must determine the prevalence and type of pests that may be present at a site. For example: if insects are typically present, then placing fly-screens (mesh) over the pit vent-pipes is one measure to prevent insects from colonizing the septic pit.

Privacy: Walls, Doors, Locks - Every stall must have a door (with no holes) that closes completely and is able to be locked from the inside of the stall. All walls and doors of every stall must be high enough to provide privacy to the user. Doors, frames, and door hardware should always be corrosion-resistant, and uncoated corrugated sheet metal doors should never be used.

Safe Structures - Splash never repairs or rehabilitates the toilets inside a structurally unsafe building. The local WASH Infrastructure Teams are responsible for certifying the structural safety of all sanitation facilities.  Splash should always try to demolish structurally unsafe sanitation facility structures, and our Local Infrastructure Teams should work with the site management for permission to demolish.

Secondary Interior Drainage - All sanitation facilities with an interior room or hallway leading to the stalls must have at least one floor drain in that interior room or hallway. This drain must have a diameter of at least 1.5” and be protected with a drain cover.

Site Improvements -The local WASH Infrastructure Lead must inspect the site surrounding the sanitation facility in consultation with the site management to determine if there are other improvements that need to be made while the contractors are on site. In the past, these have included: creating a second school entrance, moving water storage tanks, and maintaining drainage channels.

Stormwater Management - All sanitation facilities must have a functional, non-leaking, and durable stormwater management system.  Typically, this consists of the roof, gutters, downspouts, and a defined flow path and destination for the stormwater.

Staff Sanitation - Every site must have a sufficient number of sanitation fixtures to meet Splash’s minimum ratios for staff.  Splash is responsible for rehabbing existing staff sanitation and constructing new staff sanitation as necessary.  Staff sanitation fixtures can either be located alongside student sanitation or it can be physically separated.

Stalls for Children with Special Needs (CWSN) - Every site must have at least one stall for each gender that will be specially fitted for users with mobility limitations. The local WASH Infrastructure Team will determine if more than one CWSN stall is needed at specialty or very large school sites. These stalls must have grab rails placed along the walls, a seated toilet, and a ramped access path from the special needs classroom to the stall.

Surfaces that are Easy to Clean - Every toilet stall must have a smooth, easy-to-clean surface installed on the floor and at least the lowest 1 m of the three non-door walls. The surface installed on the floor must be non-slippery, even when wet. Surface options include tiling and high polish/finish concrete.  All tiles, corners, and floor-wall edges must be caulked or grouted to eliminate cracks/gaps, to prevent mold growth, and to facilitate cleaning.  

Urinals - Whenever culturally appropriate and physically possible, urinal spaces are to be installed at a site in a quantity between 1 to 1.5 times the number of toilet stalls. All urinal walls must be covered in tile, or made from a different smooth, easy-to-clean material. All urinals must have drain covers, cleanouts, and equipment for easy flushing.

Ventilation - All stalls must have at least two wall openings (one can be an open ceiling), preferably on different walls, to allow for airflow. The total wall opening area on each wall must be equal to or greater than the area of a standard (A4) sized sheet of paper.

Water Supply - Every sanitation facility must be connected to a water storage tank.  In water scarce cities such as Addis Ababa and Kathmandu, a secondary source for flushing water must be included.  This could be a barrel or other vessel located in a hallway of the sanitation facility.