Groundwater filters 40 million tons of human waste annually
LONDON: Groundwater and its components filter around 38 million tonnes of human waste every year and would cost trillions of rupees if commercial plants were set up to treat it.
Allison Parker of Cranefield University in the UK and her colleagues have inspected toilets in 48 cities in Africa, Asia, North and South America. They estimate how much human waste and urine goes directly into the soil. In this regard, they have relied on observations, interviews and live field reports.
They chose places where waste was left instead of sewage pipes, including pit latrines and septic tanks.
