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ARMY ENGINEERS PUT LID ON WASTE

Australian Army engineers have been busy devising simple solutions for Tarin Kowt’s sanitation and waste management needs.

The town has had septic tanks installed and Army engineers are half-way through constructing a sanitation system to manage the waste from the tanks.

Project Engineer Captain Daniel Waugh says and the waste management facility is a great step in the right direction to improve sanitation in Tarin Kowt.

"This facility is the next block that Tarin Kowt needs.  Previous rotations started the process by putting septic tanks in the schools and hospitals they've built.  Now we're building on that by giving that waste somewhere to go,” Captain Waugh said.

“Our future plans involve the construction of public toilets to centralise public waste, in line with mentoring of local government departments to manage the collection and dumping of the waste," he said.

The facility is a simple, low-maintenance solution to a long standing problem.  Now the work remains to ensure that the Mayor’s Office is able to manage the ongoing use of the facility and the future development of a sanitation system in town.

"The Mayor’s early involvement in this facility – and his keen interest in its maintenance – shows his support of the project, and acknowledges that the 'reconstruction' doesn't end with the delivery of the physical infrastructure; it requires management, maintenance and resources," Captain Waugh said.

Mayor Maulawi Obaidullah praised the facility, saying “this is very good for the people of Tarin Kowt”.

The Governor of Oruzgan Province, Assadullah Hamdam, stated that the facility will be very beneficial:  “The site will be useful for the people of Oruzgan, where they can come and empty their toilet waste.  It has many stages, where extra water will go around the outside and there will be no bad smell,” said the Governor.

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