Innovation for improved hygiene: testing a handwashing station that uses recycled water in the field.

Abstract

Access to handwashing facilities is limited in cities in the Global South. On-site recycling of water can improve access to handwashing facilities in places that lack water and wastewater related infrastructure. A handwashing station prototype that uses recycled water was tested in real-life applications in Switzerland and South Africa, where it addresses both social and environmental goals. The transdisciplinary approach taken by the research team (a strategy where researchers from different disciplines work closely together with the users and beneficiaries of interventions) was a crucial factor in the acceptance of the handwashing station using recycled water.