Loowatt Ltd (UK)
Khanyisa Projects
Kaloola Home NPC
Many homes in informal settlements in South Africa lack access to piped water and sewer systems, leaving residents to rely on shared, unsafe and unsanitary toilets (e.g. pit latrines or bucket toilets), which compromise their dignity and health. Kaloola seeks to fill the gap in municipal infrastructure shortcomings by offering households private, waterless toilets that are regularly emptied manually. Its unique waste containment technology delivers a waterless, hygienic, circular sanitation solution that is more affordable than alternatives over a 5-year period.
Kaloola is the first paid sanitation service to provide high-quality toilets at home to low-income communities in South Africa. It was launched in April 2023 in eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality by Loowatt Ltd (a non-profit company providing sanitation services in underserved areas) and Khanyisa Projects, with initial funding from South Africa’s Water Research Commission (WRC) and Unilever’s TRANSFORM program.
Kaloola employs an innovative, service-oriented and environmentally conscious approach to meeting the sanitation needs of urban and peri-urban communities that lack conventional sewer systems. The service is centred on the provision and maintenance of Loowatt toilets, which feature a ‘waterless flush’ mechanism that uses sealed, biodegradable polymer films to contain solid and liquid wastes. When the ‘flush’ mechanism is activated, rubber seals open to allow waste to pass through and be captured in the polymer film below. Once released, the seals come back together to contain the waste within the film, effectively preventing odors from escaping. This design ensures hygienic, odorless, and dignified sanitation in areas where water and sanitation infrastructure is inadequate.
These toilets require no plumbing and follow a decentralised approach, offering sanitation as a managed service rather than a fixed physical infrastructure asset. This approach reduces the need for costly sewer networks and enables the quick deployment of toilet units in densely populated, sloping areas, such as informal settlements. The toilets capture polymer-encapsulated human waste in plastic containers, which are removed and transported to a treatment plant. There, the organic waste is separated from the film and processed in a circular manner into biogas and fertilisers without the use of chemicals.
Kaloola provides three types of services: (1) portable home toilets for households in informal settlements, (2) mobile toilet services designed for events, construction sites, mines, and industrial settings, and (3) a waste-to-resource system - a circular model that converts human waste into biogas and fertiliser via anaerobic digestion.
Kaloola’s Loowatt toilet system is a groundbreaking solution that significantly improves health and hygiene in informal settlements with inadequate sanitation, while also serving commercial clients working in infrastructure-constrained spaces. The toilet system provides private, safe and dignified sanitation solutions that address the critical issue of access to sanitation in underserved areas.
The toilets are designed to be waterless, which saves water – a resource that is already scarce in many African cities. It also reduces outbreaks and the transmission of waterborne diseases by safely containing waste and preventing contamination of local water sources. The rubber seals in the toilet eliminate odours, improving dignity and quality of life for users. In addition to enhancing public health, the system offers sanitation services at lower costs than traditional toilet and sewer systems, which often rely heavily on water and chemical treatments. This affordability makes it accessible to disadvantaged households.
The initiative also contributes to the local economy by creating job opportunities for residents. Employment is generated across various sectors, including the installation and servicing of toilets, waste collection and transportation, customer support, waste treatment and recycling operations. Moreover, the organic fertilisers produced from the collected waste are valuable agricultural resources for local farmers.
Households using the Kaloola system use significantly less water than those relying on traditional, water-intensive flush toilets. This is particularly advantageous in informal settlements, which often experience insufficient and intermittent water supply.
Beyond water conservation, the toilets also reduce pollution. Unlike conventional pit latrines, septic tanks, or sewer pipes, which are susceptible to leaks and can emit unpleasant odours, Kaloola toilets minimise the risk of environmental contamination, safeguarding local water bodies from harmful pathogens and reducing soil pollution.
Moreover, the waste-recycling process is designed to generate clean, renewable biogas and compost. Using biogas instead of liquefied petroleum gas helps decrease reliance on fossil fuels and other polluting energy sources, while also reducing emissions of greenhouse gases like methane into the atmosphere. Additionally, the system produces biodegradable fertilisers that are environmentally friendly and beneficial for the ecosystem. Notably, the Kaloola organic waste treatment and recycling does not use chemicals, thereby promoting a more sustainable and safer sanitation solution.
Kaloola’s success lies in its strong partnerships with other institutions. Collaborations with Khanyisa Projects and Unilever through its TRANSFORM programme set a strong foundation for establishing the initiative. Kaloola also continually conducts client social impact surveys in conjunction with the University of KwaZulu-Natal WASH Centre. Moreover, its waterless approach and affordable subscriptions have made it acceptable to clients in water-strained communities. Kaloola’s service team is also selected from the local community, which helps to establish trust in the service among local communities.
1. Kaloola operates at least 200 toilets servicing over 1,300 people, and as of October 2023, it had safely removed over 20 tonnes of waste from communities.
2. Users rate Kaloola highly in terms of user experience (92%) and customer satisfaction (95%). This is supported by a subscriber churn rate below 1% and toilet misuse and/or abuse at 0.03%. Households assume ownership of the toilets, which is key to managing and maintaining the infrastructure.
3. As of October 2025, Kaloola had recorded a 99.1% payment rate, with an average of 95% since inception. In addition, recovered arrears payments exceed 93%.
4.70% of Kaloola contract holders are female, indicating the initiative's inclusive nature.
Kaloola’s service model and technology work well, but it faces funding challenges as it seeks to scale its operations. Currently, Kaloola largely relies heavily on grant funding.
