Rurality as a Vehicle for Urban Sanitation (RUST)

RUST is an Indian-UK research and impact consortium that aims to better understand and promote more integrated sanitation policy and planning between urban and rural areas in Indian cities. It will bring together research on sanitation practices, infrastructure, economic costs, institutional systems and ecosystem services to build an integrated picture of the urban and rural sanitation systems across the case study city of Hyderabad and surrounding areas. 

The Challenge

Rapid settlement around Hyderabad’s perimeter has long extended beyond municipal provision and sanitation is now characterised by an assortment of different solutions. Not only  among formal populations but also ‘messy’ and ‘hidden’ communities such as informal slums and migrant camps.

This complexity challenges the provision of effective sanitation services and the safe disposal of faecal waste. Frequently the technological, economic and institutional capacity to dispose of waste is inadequate and waste is dumped into the environment posing a risk to public health.   

Our Mission

is to reveal the extent to how rural and urban sanitation systems can be linked to drive safer (improved public health) and productive (improved economic benefits) sanitation systems in Indian cities. Working with local stakeholders this information will be used to identify the steps needed to promote more integrated sanitation policy across the urban-rural interface.

Our Approach

to collect data across two transects spanning the full width (rural-urban-rural)  of Hyderabad. The research consortium: Bangor University, Cranfield University, University of Gloucestershire and University of Hyderabad bring together work packages of five interdisciplinary areas of expertise covering environment, people, the economy, governance and integration. 

Use of GIS

Using Geographical Information System (GIS) platforms and data visualisation techniques; the project will engage with urban and rural sanitation stakeholders to develop creative and workable policy and planning solutions that have relevance for large cities in India and other transitioning nations.

Partners