Today 19 November is World Toilets Day. An occasion to recall that, although having access to adequate sanitation system is at least as important as having access to drinking water to reduce water borne diseases, sanitation systems are underfunded, poorly managed or neglected in many parts of the world. This has devastating consequences for health, economics and the environment. Massive investment and useful innovation are needed, including in the Caribbean. 

To face tropical climate and mitigate climate change impacts, sanitation systems in the Caribbean need to be able to withstand natural hazard such as hurricanes or earthquakes. CARIBSAN promotes more resilient sanitation systems called “Constructed wetlands” that are able to tolerate fluctuations in water flow without losing their capacity to treat wastewater. Furthermore, they are built with local material and also require less energy supply. 

CARIBSAN build capacities of sanitation workers that sustain these essential services by training them to constructed wetlands technologies (from its building process, maintenance, choice of plants and materials, location, etc). Capacity development creates a better-skilled workforce, improves service levels and increases job creation and retention in this vital sector.

The collaboration between Cuba, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Saint Lucia through the CARIBSAN project will boost experience sharing in the constructed wetlands systems in order to develop a sustainable sanitation systems more adapted to tropical islands. Communities in the Caribbean will benefit from quality drinking water, preserved environments and clean beaches.