“I used to follow what other masons commonly did when building the septic tanks. I did not know that I had to apply a standard to ensure the facility was functioning properly,” said Safarudin, a mason from Pasar VI Kualanamu village in Deli Serdang district.
Unfortunately, Safarudin is not alone. The project observed that some masons in its supported urban villages in North Sumatra do not have sufficient knowledge on the septic tank construction following the Indonesia National Standard (SNI).
In addition, some of the project assisted urban villages are located in areas with high water surface level, while some others are in areas with low water surface level. Consequently, they require different types of septic tanks suitable to the condition.
To improve the masons’ skills, USAID IUWASH PLUS provided trainings for the masons, sanitation sales persons, and health office on how to build the septic tanks between April and June 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these trainings were held online in the respective district/city.
The trainings taught the masons how to construct square septic tanks with plastered bricks and round septic tanks made of reinforced concrete for the low water surface level. They also learned how to install fabricated up flow filter septic tanks made of plywood and tempered with fiber glass for the high-water surface level.
Without wasting time, the masons from Tebing Tinggi and Deli Serdang immediately applied their knowledge and guidance from USAID IUWASH PLUS to build the septic tanks. As of early July 2020, three septic tanks with up flow filter system were built in Tebing Tinggi city and five in Deli Serdang district.
“With the trainings and guidance from USAID IUWASH PLUS, I am now able to build septic tanks following the SNI,” said Safarudin.
A staff of the Health Office of Deli Serdang district, Mrs. Malemta Tarigan, expects that the trainings will be conducted regularly to equip more masons with skills in building the SNI septic tanks.
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