A new Engineers Without Borders (EWB) project could bring life-saving sanitation to flood-prone Cambodia.

The plan is EWB’s submission to the Google Impact Challenge – a worldwide competition for non-profit groups to share and implement their ideas for a better world.

Approximately 66 per cent of rural Cambodians lack access to sanitation infrastructure, which can lead to devastating effects on health, with populations in flood-prone areas at particular risk.

So, EWB says it will establish and support a network of locals to manufacture and install biodigester toilet systems.

This will address the lack of sanitation in flooding and floating environments in Cambodia, as well as providing households with a cost-effective form of renewable energy.

In three years, EWB will enable 25 local entrepreneurs to install 2,500 biodigester toilet systems benefitting 15,000 people. In 10 years, the project will provide sanitation and energy solutions to 1.2 million Cambodian people.

It is among many valuable ideas submitted for the Google competition, voting for which is accessible here. 

Footage of the biodigester setup can be seen in the video below.