Sanitation is the
hygienic means of
promoting health through
prevention of human contact with the
hazards of
wastes as well as the treatment and proper disposal of
sewage or
wastewater. Hazards can be either physical,
microbiological, biological or chemical agents of disease. Wastes that can cause health problems include human and animal excreta, solid wastes, domestic wastewater (sewage or
greywater) industrial wastes and agricultural wastes. Hygienic means of prevention can be by using engineering solutions (e.g.,
sanitary sewers,
sewage treatment,
surface runoff management, solid waste management, excreta management), simple technologies (e.g.,
pit latrines,
dry toilets,
urine-diverting dry toilets,
septic tanks), or even simply by
behavior changes in personal hygiene practices, such as
hand washing with soap.