To mark World Toilet Day on 19 November, Saniflo is highlighting a project in India that demonstrates how effective wastewater management can make a real difference to the health, hygiene and living conditions of vulnerable communities.
Through its Indian subsidiary, SFA Group has donated and installed a Sanicubic 2 Classic lifting station at Sant Claret Anath Ashram, a charitable care home in Badlapur, near Mumbai, which provides accommodation, meals and medical care for nearly 250 vulnerable people.
The centre offers shelter and support to elderly, sick and bedridden individuals, as well as people receiving end-of-life care. Many residents have been taken in from the streets, railway station platforms, or after discharge from hospital. Since late 2025, the centre has also welcomed more women, with nearly 40 now among its residents.
The facility previously relied on an open septic tank, which presented significant sanitation challenges, including unpleasant odours, mosquito infestations, unsanitary conditions and the risk of wastewater being discharged into the surrounding environment.
Following a site visit, technicians from SFA India recommended the Sanicubic 2 Classic, a freestanding lifting station designed to collect and pump greywater and wastewater where conventional gravity drainage is not possible.
Equipped with two motors that operate alternately, the Sanicubic 2 Classic now collects wastewater from six toilets and two washbasins and pumps it into the existing drainage network, eliminating the need for an open septic tank and providing a more reliable, hygienic solution for the facility.
SFA India supplied the unit and provided technical expertise for the installation, working alongside its partner installer. The team also provides ongoing maintenance to help ensure reliable long-term operation.
Father Robin Abraham, director of Sant Claret Anath Ashram, confirms the positive impact of the installation: “The pump is working very well and we have not encountered any problems since it was installed. It ensures the regular and reliable disposal of wastewater. Your generosity and commitment provide invaluable support to our centre.”
The donation was facilitated through Dr Kiran Pandit of the Gurukrupa Foundation and forms part of SFA Group’s longstanding commitment to improving access to sanitation.
Since extending its charitable initiatives internationally in 2016, following earlier projects in France, SFA Group has supported sanitation programmes in countries including Cambodia, Senegal and India. Between 2023 and 2025, its contributions helped improve sanitation and living conditions in around ten Indian schools, benefiting approximately 900 pupils.
The Sant Claret project represents a further development in this commitment, combining the company’s technical expertise and products to address a specific sanitation challenge directly.
World Toilet Day, a United Nations observance held annually on 19 November, highlights the importance of safe sanitation and the continuing global challenge of ensuring access to adequate toilet facilities.
For Saniflo, whose history dates back to the invention of the original Sanibroyeur in 1958, the project illustrates how practical wastewater management solutions can contribute to safer, healthier environments and improve quality of life for some of society’s most vulnerable people.
To learn more about Saniflo and its wastewater management solutions, visit www.sfasaniflo.co.uk.
