Lead Engineer Gerard Dalziel Discusses Public Health on World Toilet Day

As the Chief Engineer at Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB-USA), I am genuinely excited to share my passion for a topic that may not be a common dinner table conversation, but is undoubtedly a game-changer in the realm of public health – toilets!

Moving communities from open defecation to the use of proper sanitation facilities is a cause close to our hearts at EWB-USA, and here’s why. According to estimates, achieving full household coverage with sanitation (along with clean water) could potentially lead to a staggering 2.2 million fewer child deaths each year (6000 per day) in the developing world.

Why such a significant impact? Because exposed fecal matter contaminates food, water, and the environment, spreading diseases like cholera. This exposure, coupled with poor hygiene practices, remains a leading cause of child mortality, morbidity, undernutrition, and stunting. Exposure can also negatively impact a child’s cognitive development.

But that’s not all! The importance of sanitation on education cannot be overemphasized. Access to clean and safe toilets in schools ensures a healthier learning environment, reducing absenteeism due to preventable illnesses. According to UNICEF, improved sanitation increases the enrollment of girls at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. Also, when women and girls have to travel farther to adequate hygiene facilities, they are exposed to greater risk of violence

At EWB-USA, we believe in engineering solutions that go beyond infrastructure—they transform lives. The composting pit latrines constructed with our partners in El Limon, Nicaragua, keep their users safe, provide fertilizer for their local gardens, and protect the local groundwater by eliminating infiltration of contaminated fluids.

Across EWB-USA, our projects focus on not only constructing infrastructure but also fostering engagement, education and wellbeing. Together, we can break the cycle of disease, enhance education, and create a world where every child has the opportunity to thrive.

Join us in celebrating the unsung heroes of public health— toilets!

Gerard Dalziel
Chief Engineer, EWB-USA