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Loowatt in Durban, South Africa
Loowatt's technology provides urban communities in South Africa with aspirational sanitation solutions, and enables the co-transformation of faecal and organic waste to valuable by-products. The first service, branded as Kalula, was launched in Durban in 2023, with significant uptake from communities. |
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Circularity of Organic Waste
Loowatt technology enables the co-transformation of faecal and food waste in urban communities to valuable by-products, including biofertiliser, irrigation water, and energy.
Loowatt technology enables the co-transformation of faecal and food waste in urban communities to valuable by-products, including biofertiliser, irrigation water, and energy.
Create Impact In Your Community
Aspirational Solutions
Offer communities a contemporary and aspirational solution and service |
Green Jobs
Create jobs for the future - dignified, safe, green jobs within the communities being served |
Circular Economy
Create a circular economy by locally transforming waste into valuable resources |
Community Resilience
Strengthen communities by providing technology that can withstand droughts and floods. Create service jobs that contribute to socioeconomic growth. |
How it works
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1. Select a Community
Target densely populated urban communities comprising more than 5,000 households, aiming to enhance community resilience by fostering improved economic opportunities, gender equity, the local environment, and public health. Note: All values proposed are based on an assumed urban community of approximately 25,000 people. More specific estimates would need verification during a feasibility study. |
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2. Offer an Aspirational and Professionally Maintained Toilet
Urban communities are offered a weekly waste collection service using Loowatt's aspirational, waterless toilet. The communities are employed in providing the door-to-door sales of the service and the weekly waste collection.
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Unlike pit latrines, servicing a Loowatt toilet is pleasant and safe for the user and service provider. It uses advanced software and mobile applications to manage customers and payments. No mess, no smell, no unsafe practices.
3. Ready Waste for Transformation
The faecal and organic waste are collected, segregated, and readied for transformation at the recycling facility. Food waste can also be collected from households and markets, further contributing to waste transformation and green jobs. |
4. Transform Waste into By-Products
Waste can be transformed into irrigation water, biofertiliser, and energy, which can then be sold within and outside of the community. |
5. Local Impact
Loowatt’s systems offer communities a significant positive impact on housing and living conditions, job creation, social inclusion, and health and safety. Due to their design, they also contribute to strengthening the community’s resilience to the impacts of climate change (e.g., floods, droughts, etc.).
Loowatt’s systems offer communities a significant positive impact on housing and living conditions, job creation, social inclusion, and health and safety. Due to their design, they also contribute to strengthening the community’s resilience to the impacts of climate change (e.g., floods, droughts, etc.).
6. Global Impact
By regularly collecting human and food waste, significant carbon emissions can be avoided, captured, and converted to green energy. A 2022 study in Kampala, Uganda revealed that “sanitation may represent more than half of total city-level emissions.
By regularly collecting human and food waste, significant carbon emissions can be avoided, captured, and converted to green energy. A 2022 study in Kampala, Uganda revealed that “sanitation may represent more than half of total city-level emissions.
“Loowatt's innovative technology is a game-changer in South Africa by proving that people truly value high-quality toilets at home through paid services.”Akin Akinsete, Water Research Commission
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