The Vacutug Development project is being executed in three phases:

1. Phase One – Viability of a pit emptying service in low income communities. The prototype Vacutug (Mark I) machine was tested in Kibera
2. Phase Two - Feasibility of the Mark II Vacutug under different economical, environmental, social, and institutional conditions
3. Phase Three   –    Large-scale production and distribution of the Vacutug on a global scale – This phase is yet to start

Phase One - First trials in Kibera 1995-2000

The trials of the UN-HABITAT Mark I Vacutug began in 1995 in partnership with the Kenya Water and Health Organisation (KWAHO) in Kenya and Manus Coffey and Associates. In 1997 the Mark I Vacutug, was given on loan to KWAHO to be tested in Soweto Village in Kibera, Nairobi. Kibera is the largest slum in East Africa with a population in excess of 700,000 covering an area of 210 hectares. The main sanitation facility used by the residents in Kibera is either a simple pit latrine or VIP latrine. For the population without access to any facility, they use the “flying toilet” method, whereby excreta is collected in a plastic bag and thrown out of the dwelling.

The machine was deliberately put into a situation where there was very little technical assistance in order to see how sustainable a mechanised pit latrine technology would be in a low income urban settlement. The machine was operated on a commercial basis and during the trial period earned a total profit 36% on its overheads. KWAHO estimates that over 400,000 people benefited directly from the use of the Vacutug in Kibera (one pit latrine can serve between 80-100 people) and that in the absence of the Vacutug residents would have no other option but to use the wachusi (manual exhuasters) to manually empty their latrines. Five people were also employed and paid by the revenues of the project; a supervisor, two operators, a mechanic and a watchman.

After two years of operation, the Mark I Vacutug developed mechanical problems. These problems included two rollers/bearing were worn out. The spring to the roller was worn out and could not press the roller tight on the wheel, the hose pipe was worn out leading to serious leakages, and there was a problem with the chain causing damage to the tensions.

The results of the first phase indicated that such a technology was a potentially viable option for improving sanitation in low income areas. However there were some important lessons to be learnt which could improve the overall efficiency and sustainability of the Vacutug technology. In summary the main lessons learnt from operating the Mark I in a low income settlement were:-

Financial management and security of the machine – Good financial management and planning of the Vacutug is as important as the technology itself. In low income settlements security from theft and vandalism is also important to ensure. Even though the Vacutug was kept at the District Officer’s camp it was still vandalized and parts stolen. Due to misappropriation of some funds there was not enough money to cover some of the repairs and UN-HABITAT had to subsidize the repairs.
Routing operation and maintenance. Neglect of routine maintenance, which increases the frequency of break down because the operators, who are not qualified mechanics, have the attitude of fixing for today. And then it only lasts for a couple of days.
Minimum number of loads - The demand of the Vacutug was high, exceeding supply, and it was calculated that if the machine could empty at least 8 loads a day it would cover its operations and maintenance costs.
Terrain - The Vacutug was not operating to it full capacity due to inaccessibility of latrines, because of no roads and where there are roads in the rainy season these roads are impossible to pass
Operating in a realistic market - Lack of competition because the only other alternative is manually cleaning. This has caused operators to charge extra for the service
Water scarcity – due to poorly constructed latrines and maintenance of the latrines, for example in ensuring that latrines were used for disposing of liquid waste and not solid waste, made the latrines difficult to empty as the sludge was very thick. Water was needed to dilute the sludge but as there are water shortages and high prices of water, it was not always possible for owners of latrines to afford the water.

Phase II Design and production of Mark II Vacutug

UN-HABITAT received funding from the Department for International Development (DFID) and Irish Aid, under DFID’s Engineering Knowledge and Research Programme to produce a second batch of Vacutugs and test the technology further. Funds were also disbursed to University of Leeds and the London School of Economics (LSE).

The objective of the research was to upscale the pilot project by manufacturing 9 Vacutugs and testing the technology in different socio-economic and geographical conditions.

The specific objectives of the second phase were to: -

• Increase access of the urban poor (or other disadvantaged groups) in the trial areas to affordable sanitation services
• To test out the MK II UN-HABITAT Vacutug under the widest possible range of conditions prior to undertaking a final redesign of the machine before releasing it for widespread manufacture in developing countries.
• To assess the limitations on the UN-HABITAT Vacutug concerning access to difficult latrines, (narrow streets, deep pits, steep gradients, poor road surfaces, etc).
• To determine the limitations of the UN-HABITAT Vacutug when pumping very dense or semi-solidified wastes.
• To find out the problems of disposing of latrine wastes in different situations and the need for transfer systems for hauling the wastes where there are long haul distances.
• To assess the suitability of existing latrine systems for emptying by the UN-HABITAT Vacutug and put forward proposals for improved latrine designs for mechanised emptying.
• To determine the costs per capita / annum for a latrine service based on mechanised emptying and disposal of the wastes off site in different countries.
• To assess the householders willingness to pay for a latrine emptying service in different countries and communities.
• To test out the sustainability of a latrine emptying service provided on a full cost recovery basis in different countries at a rate, which the people are prepared to pay.
• To determine the operating costs of the UN-HABITAT Vacutug latrine emptier under different conditions.
• To determine the life expectancy of the UN-HABITAT Vacutug under different conditions.
• To investigate all the institutional aspects of operating latrine emptying services in peri-urban areas.
• To demonstrate the use of the UN-HABITAT Vacutug as the basis of a micro-enterprise in low-income urban areas.
• To share the knowledge and experiences gained with other participants in these trials.
• To assess the management problems of operating a latrine emptying service, the viability of  CBO and NGO-based latrine emptying services and the interest of local entrepreneurs in providing such a service.
• To participate at a workshop at the end of the field trials where all problems and experiences gained can be discussed and a design brief drawn up for the final system or systems for local manufacture in different countries.

The above objectives were achieved under three contracts: i) the contract for the Technical Consultant who ensured quality control and evaluated the design of the machine and also of latrines, ii) Manufacturing contract iii) and the MOU with the partner institutions who field tested the Mark II to ascertain the adequacy, affordability, technological suitability and other socioeconomic factors associated with the use of such a technology