Simple Handwashing Devices

Adopted from WORLD BANK (2005)

Health issues are often closely related to hygiene practices and the management of water and sanitation (see Water Sanitation and Health). Hand washing can considerably contribute to an improved and sustainable sanitation system by interrupting the transmission of disease agents (see Health Risk Management). Consequently, diarrhoea, respiratory infections as well as skin infections and trachoma are significantly reduced. A recent review (CURTIS et al. 2000) suggests that hand washing with soap, particularly after contact with faeces (post-defecation and after handling a child’s stool), can reduce diarrhoeal incidence by 42-47 per cent. These results apply universally regardless of the level of sanitation faecal contamination. Another study recently found that children under 15 years applying hand washing with soap showed to have half the diarrhoeal rates compared to children living in neighbouring communities that do not apply hand washing (LUBY et al. 2004).

Because hand washing can prevent the transmission of a variety of pathogens. Promoted on a wide scale, hand washing with soap could be thought of as a ‘do-it-yourself vaccine’.

The most crucial component to encouraging hand washing is to make sure the hand-washing facilities are conveniently located, clean and properly working. Hand drying should also be taken into consideration. Carefully respect the habits of users when installing hand-washing facilities. The location (i.e. spot, height, etc.) of a hand sink depends on the users’ size (e.g. children or adults), the direction users are approaching the facility and their daily routines. Make sure that user comfort is ensured (e.g. install a drainage, establish frequent cleaning and maintenance, etc.). The more comfortable the facilities are, the more likely users continue to use them and the more they care and are willing to put effort into maintenance.

However, making the consequent use of hand-washing facilities an integral part of people’s daily routines involves more than just technical and practical installations and considerations. If the purpose and the benefits of hand washing are not fully understood by users, facilities are likely to be unaccepted, to be refused and to remain unused. Therefore, awareness raising has to be an integral part of any hand-washing promoting project.

Simple Hand Washing Container - A Container with a Hole in It

One of the simplest ways of making a hand sink is to find a container (e.g. a can or plastic bottle) and drill a hole in the bottom. After filled with water, hands can be washed while the water is slowly trickling down. This low-cost option is applied easily and very effective.

‘Tippy Tap’ – Style Hand Sink

A tippy tap style hand sink can be made by several ways. The most common way is to find a container (i.e. a large can, bottle or pot) and drill a hole near the top. A string and a pedal are attached at the top of the container allowing the water to flow out.

Further instructions on how to build a Tippy Tap can be found at Akvopedia.org (AKVOPEDIA 2008).

‘Tap Up’ Hand Sink- Simple but Requires Manufactured Fittings

A bucket with a valve at the bottom can also serve as a hand sink. The ‘tap up’ hand sink was developed by Mathew Lippincott for outdoor festivals in the Pacific Northwest of the US in 2011. It is based on a Finnish design called the Andy Handy (see also under ‘important web links’ below).The Andy Handy costs about $40 USD and can be ordered from Finland. However, the ‘Tap Up’ sink can easily be constructed on one’s own. 

Few details about the ‘Tap Up’ Hand Sink (5 gallons version) are given in the following table: