Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS)

Comprehensive approaches to safely managed sanitation across the entire service chain—from containment through transport, treatment, and safe disposal or reuse.

Key Questions

  • Where do sanitation systems fail along the service chain?
  • How do different containment technologies perform in preventing pathogen release?
  • What are the most cost-effective interventions for different urban contexts?
  • How can informal settlements be integrated into citywide sanitation services?

Our Approach

PROMISE uses the ComPASS (Community Pathogen Flow Assessment) tool to systematically map pathogen movement through sanitation systems. By assessing containment technology performance, emptying practices, transport routes, and treatment facilities, we identify critical failure points where pathogens escape into the environment.

Active Projects

ComPASS Pathogen Flow Study in Mulago III and Kamwokya, Kampala (55% field sampling complete)

Sanitation technology performance evaluation in Kibera informal settlement

Integrated SaniPath and ComPASS assessment in Tanga City (field work complete)

Community Pathogen Hazard Assessment in Chunga Compound (field and lab work complete)

In Tanzania, PROMISE findings were rapidly shared with Tanga City authorities during a cholera outbreak (39 cases, 5 deaths in early 2025). The research showed that 97% of households use pour-flush toilets connected to lined tanks, but 40% have unsafe overflow points discharging into the environment. Municipal authorities used this evidence to prioritize containment system repairs in outbreak hotspots and develop a long-term investment plan for improved infrastructure.

  1. Manga M, Muoghalu CC, Acheng PO. (2023). Inactivation of faecal pathogens during faecal sludge composting: a systematic review. Environmental Technology Reviews.
  2. Okaali DA, Bateganya NL, Evans B, et al. (2022). Tools for a comprehensive assessment of public health risks associated with limited sanitation services provision.
  3. Multiple publications on containment technology performance and pathogen fate.