SavvyLoo

Closing the loop from waterless sanitation to energy generation
2015 SEED South Africa Award; European Union,2015 SEED South Africa Award; Hisense
Water, Sanitation & Health (WASH)
Johannesburg
South Africa

SavvyLoo is piloting a waterless sanitation solution for rural communities and temporary settlements, potentially across Africa. It separates urine and desiccate faeces in three to five days to a dry bio-waste, which is easy to transport and convert to energy using gasifier systems.

SavvyLoo affords users with a hygienic alternative to pit latrines, chemical and composting toilets, eliminating compost and sludge. It is easy to use and maintain and protects users from pathogens and odours.

SavvyLoo’s innovative design significantly reduces sanitation life-cycle costs when compared to pit latrines, waterborne and chemical toilets. As a waterless system, the toilet reduces both the economic and environmental impacts of water used in sanitation.

Eco-Inclusive Impacts
SavvyLoo’s innovative design significantly reduces sanitation life-cycle costs. As a waterless system, the toilet reduces both the economic and environmental impacts of water used in sanitation and lowers the risk of water and land contamination.
  • Improving health and hygiene by providing accessible sanitation options for rural communities.
  • Reducing risks such as sexual harassment for women and girls looking for privacy when in need for toilets.
  • Preventing contamination of underground water, with no pollution from seepage when compared to alternative sanitation.
  • Generating clean energy and/or natural compost from human wastes.

  • Reducing the life-cycle cost of sanitation and water cost.
  • Creating permanent jobs to install and service 900 toilets, establishing a potential for “sanitation industry”.
  • Closing the loop by processing human waste into an energy resource.

Partners

SavvyLoo aims to bring a waterless toilet system to rural areas and temporary settlements across Africa. The innovative design is a competitive alternative to waterborne sanitation, pit latrines, chemical toilets and composting toilets. It is easy to install and more hygienic than the alternatives. SavvyLoo saves water, is easy to install and relocate, is more hygienic than alternatives, and produces a waste output that can be converted into energy.

Savvy Loo Close Corporation owns the SavvyLoo patent rights and facilitates toilet production and sales.

Pennine Energy Innovation (Pty) Ltd holds the usufruct rights to the SavvyLoo patents, and will manufacture and trade the units.

Vaal University of Technology (VUT) develops SavvyLoo toilets from concepts to models and prototypes to trials.

Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and SAB Foundation have contributed development funding.

The Innovation Hub has contributed an environmental specialist and mentor.