Off-grid and non-sewer sanitation systems offer South Africa the opportunity to expand access to the marginalized and poorly served with improved and sustainable sanitation services. This approach will assist with addressing the current sanitation backlogs and meet the target for the Sustainable Developmental Goal 6 (SDG 6) – “ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”.

The Water Research Commission (WRC) has championed non-sewered sanitation research, development, and innovation for over 20 years and in 2014 partnered with the Department of Science and Technology and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to focus efforts that brings about sanitation transformation in South Africa and Africa, a concept termed SANiTI (Sanitation Transformation Initiative).

Through the WRC and the South African Bureau of Standards partnership, South Africa was well represented on the international panel that supported the creation of the ISO 30500 standard which SABS went on to adopt as the national standard in South Africa, the 2nd country in Africa to do so. Such standards-based practices enhance competitive edge for nascent companies and industrial development and is also instrumental in facilitation of international trade.

The next key step will be to build a certification (mark) scheme inclusive of testing, laboratory readiness and a certification mark. This project seeks to coordinate a national platform to develop a cost efficient and functional certification / accreditation process for SANS 30500 that will enable innovators and manufacturers develop quality products in accordance with the standard.