DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 281/09
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
ARMY ENGINEERS PUT LID ON WASTE
Australian Army engineers have been busy devising simple solutions for Tarin Kowt’s
sanitation and waste management needs.
The town has had septic tanks installed and Army engineers are half-way through
constructing a sanitation system to manage the waste from the tanks.
Project Engineer Captain Daniel Waugh says and the waste management facility is a great
step in the right direction to improve sanitation in Tarin Kowt.
"This facility is the next block that Tarin Kowt needs. Previous rotations started the process
by putting septic tanks in the schools and hospitals they've built. Now we're building on that
by giving that waste somewhere to go,” Captain Waugh said.
“Our future plans involve the construction of public toilets to centralise public waste, in line
with mentoring of local government departments to manage the collection and dumping of the
waste," he said.
The facility is a simple, low-maintenance solution to a long standing problem. Now the work
remains to ensure that the Mayor’s Office is able to manage the ongoing use of the facility
and the future development of a sanitation system in town.
"The Mayor’s early involvement in this facility – and his keen interest in its maintenance –
shows his support of the project, and acknowledges that the 'reconstruction' doesn't end with
the delivery of the physical infrastructure; it requires management, maintenance and
resources," Captain Waugh said.
Mayor Maulawi Obaidullah praised the facility, saying “this is very good for the people of
Tarin Kowt”.
The Governor of Oruzgan Province, Assadullah Hamdam, stated that the facility will be very
beneficial: “The site will be useful for the people of Oruzgan, where they can come and
empty their toilet waste. It has many stages, where extra water will go around the outside and
there will be no bad smell,” said the Governor.
Media note: Imagery is available at
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