The Kathmandu City core and its suburbs are very much affected by Water pollution, water-related diseases, and soil degradation due to excessive application of chemical fertilizers. A need to sustainable approach revives the yearlong practice of sanitation and using the human excreta for agriculture in environmentally sound and scientific ways. Ecological Sanitation (ECOSAN) is an ecosystem approach to excreta disposal that can be defined as a system, which prevents diseases, protects the environment, conserves waste, recovers and recycles nutrients and organic matter. It defines human excreta as a resource, not a waste. This sanitation concept closes the loop of nutrient cycle and conserve resources of our surrounding environment. Ethnic community farmers had yearlong practice of applying human excreta and night soil to their fields to grow crops. ECOSAN would once again revive the tradition in more appropriate way. With this vision, urine-diverting toilets have been constructed in modern urban houses and three VDCs in Kathmandu valley. Urine and faeces are collected separately in these systems that ease in reducing pathogen risks, handling and reuse for agriculture. Research in reuse of human urine and faeces in crop cultivation, pathogen destruction mode, toilet design to suit local custom, children and women are going on. The concept and implementation of ECOSAN will bring sustainable revolution in managing waste and organic farming in the city and suburbs.
Keywords: water pollution, soil degradation, ecological sanitation, urine diverting toilets, human excreta, nutrient cycle.