within a reasonable distance for easy access. At night, if the military situation permits,
they should be lighted. If lights cannot be used, a piece of cord or tape may be
fastened to trees or stakes to serve as a guide to the latrine.
b. Screening. A canvas or brush screen should be placed around each latrine
or the latrine may be enclosed within a tent.
(1)
In cold climates, this shelter should be heated if possible.
(2) The screen or the tent should have a drainage ditch dug around its
edges to prevent water from flowing over the ground into the latrine.
(3) For fly control, shelters should be sprayed twice weekly with an
approved insecticide. If a fly problem exists, also spray the pit contents and the interior
of the boxes twice weekly with a residual insecticide.
c. Handwashing Device. A simple handwashing device should be installed
outside each latrine enclosure (para 6-33). The device should be easy to operate and
constantly supplied with water. The importance of handwashing devices must be given
aggressive emphasis, since hands contaminated with fecal material are a common
means of disease transmission.
d. Policing. Latrines should be policed every day. Certain unit personnel
should be assigned the responsibility of ensuring that the latrines are being properly
maintained.
e. Closing. When a latrine pit has been filled to within 1 foot of the surface or
when it is to be abandoned, remove the latrine box and close as follows:
(1) The contents of the pit, the sidewalls, and the ground surface to a
distance of two feet from the sidewalls should be sprayed with an approved residual
insecticide.
(2) Then the pit should be filled to the ground surface with successive 3-inch
layers of earth. Each layer is packed down and its surface is sprayed with insecticide
before the next layer is added. Then the latrine pit is mounded over with remaining dirt
to make a mound one foot high for the length of the pit and sprayed again with
insecticide. The purpose of this method of closing is to prevent any fly pupae that may
hatch in the closed latrine from getting out.
(3) Place a rectangular sign on top of the mound. The sign must indicate
the type of pit and the date closed as well as the unit designation (in nonoperational
areas).
MD0008
6-12