Municipal Human excreta Management in the Health Region 2

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the present status of municipal human excreta management in the health region 2. The survey data was collected during January - February 2016 using the systematic sampling method. The data indicate that 81 municipalities (69.23 percent out of all municipalities) returned the questionnaire including 2 city municipalities (100% out of all city municipalities), 6 town municipalities (66.67 percent out of all town municipalities) and 73 sub-district municipalities (68.86 percent out of all sub-district municipalities). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The result of the analysis data were as follows: (1) The highest response rates to questionnaire was Sukhothai municipal by 95.23%. (2) Municipal waste collection and transportation has not been provided by 50.6 percent (95% CI: 43.9, 57.2). However, private sector was allowed to involve in providing waste management services by 35.8 percent (95% CI: 31.1, 44.0). (3) The 43.2 percent (95% CI: 36.8, 49.8) of human excreta disposal service was not performed by municipalities, whereas private sector provided waste disposal service by 40.7 percent (95% CI: 36.1, 49.2). Moreover, municipalities had inadequate knowledge of handling disposal of human excreta by 44.4 percent (95% CI: 38.7, 51.5). (4) The excreta disposal systems in the Health Region 2 had four systems implemented by 5 areas: anaerobic digestion systems (Uttaradit town municipality), sand drying beds system (Sawankhalok town municipality, Mae Sot city municipality), waste stabilization pond system (Ban Kaeng Subdistrict municipality) and sanitary landfill system (SukhothaiThani town municipality). The results showed that 76.5 percent (95% CI:70.5, 81.8) out of all municipalities had been carried out municipal law to effective excreta management, only 2.5% of sample received the complaints about the illegal waste disposals and 3.7% has planned to develop human excretory system. Therefore, municipalities have important roles in improving regulatory enforcement of the performance of excreta management. The action of management, collection, transportation and disposal of human excreta should be authorized depending on specific local government and need to suit its situation.