Assessing Sustainability for Shared Sanitation Facilities in Peri-Urban Slum (Case Study of Ciwalengke, Indonesia)

Abstract

Shared sanitation facilities, particularly shared toilets and bathing facilities, have been a stopgap solutions for low access to household improved sanitation in peri-urban areas. However, many of these facilities are poorly maintained and show signs of neglect. This study evaluates the sustainability of shared sanitation facilities in Ciwalengke, Bandung Regency, using two modified complementary assessment frameworks: (1) the McConville and Mihelcic (2007) sustainability assessment, which examines sustainability across the life-cycle stages of sanitation systems, and (2) the UNICEF Sustainability Checks, which assess key sustainability factors of sanitation services. The findings indicate that existing assessment frameworks require contextual adaptation to reflect local conditions, including the sedentary nature of the community, the simplicity of the sanitation assistance program, and the informal hierarchy between foremen and masons involved in construction. Overall, the sustainability performance of the shared sanitation facilities remains low, with most sustainability aspects scoring below 50% of the maximum possible score. Despite these limitations, hygiene practices among the Ciwalengke community are relatively strong: open defecation rates are lower than the national average, and more than half of residents report washing their hands after defecation. A key weakness identified is the absence of meaningful community involvement during the design stage, as community representatives were not engaged in determining facility design and functionality. To enhance the long-term sustainability of sanitation facilities in Ciwalengke, this study recommends strengthening management arrangements by integrating discussions on operation and maintenance from the initial planning and construction stages through to long-term operation.