Urban residents in Kwale county have been urged to build modern toilets for better hygiene and sanitation.
County public health officer Saidi Mdune said some households in the region's first growing towns of Diani, Kombani and Kwale still have poor latrines.
He said other regions do not have toilets, meaning the residents still defaecate in the open.
This is according to a survey conducted by the county government in partnership with Tertiary Consulting Engineers and other partners. The research was done in 19 villages within the three urban areas.
Mdune said the few toilets in the region have not been done to the required standards.
He said many lavatories are close to water sources, therefore jeopardising the general health of locals.
“We have noted that boreholes have been dug next to toilets within the same house. This is something that needs to be rectified,” Mdune said.
He spoke during the launch of the mobilisation and awareness of urban household sanitation facilities programme at Kwale Cultural Centre in Matuga.
Mdune said the awareness campaign targets to educate urban residents on the importance of having improved toilets, drainage and sewer systems.
Most houses in Kwale's first growing towns are built close together with little or no spaces in between to allow for a response during emergencies.
Mdune said they aim at ensuring every house in the town has a modern toilet, with septic tanks that can be easily accessed for drainage without causing environmental pollution.
Currently, the county is setting up a sewage treatment facility at Mabokoni in Msambweni. It is funded by various stakeholders including the national government and the World Bank.
Last year, 70 per cent of Kwale residents built toilets with Matuga sub-county leading compared to previous years.