A Guide to the Development of on-site Sanitation, WHO, 1992 Part II - Detailed design, construction, operation and maintenance Chapter

r 5 - Technical factors affecting excrete disposal Human wastes Volume of fresh human wastes The amount of faeces and urine excreted daily by individuals varies considerably depending on water consumption, climate, diet and occupation. The only way to ob tain an accurate determination of the amount at a particular location is direct measu rement. Table 5.1 shows some reported average quantities of faeces excreted by adults (g rams per person per day). Even in comparatively homogeneous groups there may be a wide variation in the amounts of excrete produced. For example, Egbunwe (1980) reported a range of 500 900 g of faeces per person per day in eastern Nigeria. Generally, active adults eating a high-fibre diet and living in a rural area produce more faeces than children or elderly people living in urban areas eating a low-fibre diet. Both Shaw (1962) and Pradt (1971) suggested that the total amount of excrete is about one litre per person per day . The amount of urine is greatly dependent on temperature and humidity, commonly ranging from 0.6 to 1.1 litres per person per day. In the absence of local information the following figures are suggested as reaso nable averages: - high-protein diet in a temperate climate: faeces 120 g, urine 1.21, per person per day. - vegetarian diet in a tropical climate: faeces 400 g, urine 1.01, per person pe r day.