Rethinking human sewage capture and reclamation
Background
Wastewater pollution, a widespread yet often overlooked crisis, threatens the health and environment of billions worldwide.
The stigma around human waste hinders crucial sanitation policies, limiting wastewater organizations' ability to effectively communicate their message.
Client's Team
The Ocean Sewage Alliance (OSA) is a global coalition tackling ocean wastewater pollution, who sought new avenues for impact in preventing and remediating human sewage.
Our Team
I collaborated with another researcher on research and strategy for a Flip Labs project led by owner Cheryl Dahle. Working remotely, I conducted qualitative research, facilitated client discussions, and created key assets and prototypes to help integrate design, research, and strategy.
New research prioritizes collaborative prevention over traditional cleanup to address ocean sewage.
Viewing human waste and wastewater as only social and health issues, rather than critical environmental concerns, hinders cross-sector collaboration.
Global apathy towards human waste impedes the creation of an effective worldwide waste and wastewater management network.
Governments prioritize clean water access funding over sanitation, limiting formal funding for sanitation projects.
Environmental and social causes often work independently despite similar goals, leading to fragmented efforts that limit their collective impact.
The fragmented wastewater industry has limited global networks, causing many players to be unaware of others' similar efforts.
Significant barriers hinder effective knowledge transfer of wastewater management insights between the Global North and South.
Lack of public awareness and unclear financial strategies impede learning from and support for promising wastewater initiatives.
Sewage advocates like Ocean Sewage Alliance pursue collaboration and expansion into social, health, and sanitation sectors to achieve cleaner, healthier waterways.
Cross-sector collaboration in human waste and wastewater management enables a shift from reactive remediation to proactive prevention of ocean sewage at its source.
Effective ocean sewage management requires integrating river, estuary, and lake health with agriculture and sanitation for sustainable solutions.
A diverse stakeholder network drives cross-sector collaboration, turning human waste challenges into opportunities for sewage prevention, resource sustainability, and environmental stewardship.
Solution
We developed Buoy, a portal exploring opportunities in wastewater prevention, featuring research on sanitation technologies, management practices, and waste-to-product innovations.
Connected innovative sanitation strategies with cross-industry collaboration to amplify ocean sewage prevention efforts.
Our team worked with the client to create Buoy, a strategy that expanded the Ocean Sewage Alliance's impact through cross-industry collaboration and adapted approaches for ocean sewage prevention.
Buoy’s preventative wastewater stakeholder database provides OSA with resources and networks, turning knowledge into actionable impact.
We synthesized extensive research to define design principles for wastewater professionals, leading to informed strategic recommendations.
I utilized analysis tools and frameworks to distill research into actionable insights, enabling OSA to leverage the findings effectively.
Using a discovery framework, we identified shared strategies from 50 organizations for successful wastewater management, guiding OSA to replicate this success.
We analyzed research to identify design principles behind organizational success, with "localizing value" (27 organizations) emerging as the most common strategy for effective wastewater management.
We provided OSA with targeted next-step recommendations for their growth strategy.
These recommendations guide OSA in becoming a systems-change amplifier in wastewater sanitation.
We codified design principles and intervention points, distinguishing the Global North and South as unique wastewater prevention areas.
Using our research, we provided example scenarios and insights for becoming a systems-change amplifier, leveraging connections with wastewater champions for potential OSA collaborations.
Co-Design Theme: Build markets for decentralized waste processing in the US
Key Innovators
Biomass Controls, CN
Aquacycl, CA
Epic CleanTec, CA
Leverage Points
Rural and suburban implementation.
76% of US population lives in places with fewer than 5,000 people.
Reinvestment in marginalized neighborhoods. Improving access to clean water and sanitation is a budget priority.
Other Attendees
Food and beverages company; Farmer clients; impact investors; city planners; state policymaker liaisons; utility; insurance companies
Outcomes
Pre-competitive strategy for outreach to target municipalities.
Identify high-potential pilot communities with an initiatives specified for grant funding.
Identify funding strategies and policy solutions.
Co-Design Theme: Replicate social business models for waste treatment
Key Innovators
SOIL, Haiti
The Sanergy Collaborative, Kenya
Green Era Campus, Chicago
Leverage Points
Remediation of historical environmental racism. Soil rejuvenation in former brownfield areas.
Local food system movements. Renewed emphasis on ending food insecurity since Covid.
Community based equity investment. New funds in NC and MA provide new models.
Other Attendees
Urban growers, Development in Gardening), Stephanie Swepson-Tweety, Kevin Jones, Georgette Wong, municipal leaders, state policymakers
Outcomes
Impact investor recruitment strategy for outreach to target municipalities
Identify high-potential pilot community with an initiative specified for grant funding
Impact
Our assets enabled OSA to explore new growth opportunities and refocus collaborative efforts during a pivotal senior leadership transition.
Our research shifts OSA's focus upstream to address human-generated wastewater at its source, and creating opportunities for collaboration with like-minded organizations.
Our research and recommendations helped OSA expand its focus from downstream cleanup to prioritizing upstream prevention.
This approach opened opportunities for collaboration with organizations tackling the root causes.
Process
We researched preventative sewage solutions, analogous industries, and business case studies to identify opportunities for innovation.
We developed a baseline understanding of our client by analyzing the surrounding key facts, systems, and market factors.
Our team began by analyzing trend reports, studying the client's history, and understanding the key factors that make them unique. We used a discovery framework to uncover our design principles, barriers and needs in the wastewater industry.
We conducted over 30 interviews with key preventative sewage organizations to understand the most effective solutions for the Global South and Global North in different geographic contexts.
We built an Airtable database of global wastewater companies, entrepreneurs and organizations focused on advancing preventive sewage pollution efforts.
By establishing a network database of wastewater champions, OSA can encourage potential collaborations now and in the future.
We engaged with over 50 wastewater experts, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses. I led the creation and management of the Airtable, integrating research and insights into the database and related assets.
We conducted 30 in-depth interviews with wastewater sanitation experts to document their needs and challenges.
We developed systems maps and diagrams for OSA, clarifying the complexities of human waste and wastewater management while uncovering critical interconnections.
Created systems maps simplifies complex data, offering OSA enhanced clarity and understanding.
We developed visual tools to illustrate complex system interactions, helping OSA identify critical relationships, obstacles, and key stakeholders. By structuring the data, we enabled OSA to uncover hidden opportunities and target areas needing deeper analysis.
We mapped the implementation of decentralized wastewater sanitation technologies for use in marginalized areas, highlighting their impact on social, legal, technological, and economic sectors to guide OSA's approach.
14-Week Research Plan
We executed a research plan that delivered strategic recommendations and assets to improve OSA's offerings and engagement.
Weeks 1-2
Initiating Solutions Research
Initiated research by using a discovery framework to identify successful preventative wastewater sanitation in both the global North and South.
Weeks 3-6
Conducting Analogous Research
Studied similar industries to wastewater prevention, developing a broad understanding of how wastewater effects multiple systems and players.
Weeks 7-8
Identifying Design Principles + Intervention Points
Conducted over 30 interviews, codified research and developed an Airtable database to organize research findings.
Weeks 9-11
Developing Strategy
Developed a working Theory of Change for OSA to guide next steps, synthesized research into strategy recommendations, and visualized the complexities into contextual design maps to illustrate key findings.
Weeks 12-13
Action Plan + Presentation
Made scenarios of strategic recommendations to guide client's next steps. Presented final findings to client.
Weeks 14
Impact + Feedback
Reviewed feedback from client, instituted final recommendations into assets and database, transferred assets and ownership over to client. Gave client recommended next steps to further their growth strategy.