A Loo with a View - Signal Hill 11/11

So our assessment of the current WaSH facility still isn’t finished.  We got our report back Monday morning with a lot of constructive feedback. We spent the day restructuring it and finding a lot of sections that we missed.  Around 18:00 (6 pm), tired after a long day of writing, we made the impromptu decision to go to Signal Hill.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, Signal Hill is part of Table Mountain National Park.  Every day at noon a cannon is fired from the hill.  What makes Signal Hill so interesting to us is that the restrooms at the top are made by a company called EnviroLoo.  We are currently negotiating with EnviroLoo to use their toilets in the facility we are planning.  We have been told several times that we should make a trip up there to see the toilets for research purposes.  Being young and somewhat physically fit, we have been waiting for a day that we can get the full hiking experience of Signal Hill, rather than taking a cab to the top.  However, the opportunity never presented itself, and doing it for work seemed to take some of the fun out of the concept of hiking.

We realised on Monday however that we really needed to see these toilets soon.  So we called a cab and made the drive up to the top before sunset.  It was really beautiful.  While couples were having romantic dinners and taking pictures of the sunset, we were taking pictures of toilets.   Talk about a crappy project.  (If you’re thinking about making a poop pun, don’t bother.  I can guarantee they’ve all been drained).

Signal Hill EnviroLoo, outside

Inside the EnviroLoo facility

Pictured is the outside of the toilet facilities. The turbines theoretically dissipate 95% of odor.  Inside the facility was very clean, very much like a bus bathroom.  However downwind of the turbine was a little malodorous.  If that was only 5% of the odor, I’d hate to smell the full 100%.

Inside, the toilets look like normal toilets.  The only difference is that instead of a flush system, the waste goes into a seemingly bottomless pit.  One of my partners was afraid to use the toilet.  Admittedly, I was mildly terrified for the safety of my camera in obtaining that picture.

We were still able to enjoy the sunset.  If you’ve ben wondering about the pictures on my blog, unless I’m in a picture or it’s a graphic from the internet, all the pictures are taken by me.  I’m really not that good at photography, I just take lots of pictures and occasionally luck out with good ones.  You just can’t plan shots like this.

View of Table Mountain and Lion's Head from Signal Hill

After waiting a little longer to get the beginning of the night view, we called another cab to bring us back down the hill.

Hello Cape Town

As a team we enjoyed a dinner at an Italian place called Mario’s.  Our lively discussion throughout our meal really speaks to the good dynamic we have as a group.  Though we sometimes have our disagreements, we work and socialise very well together, for which I am incredibly thankful.  Other groups don’t seem to be as lucky. I only knew one of my partners prior to this year. I wouldn’t say they’re my best friends, but I wouldn’t trade them as partners.  No bull.

The WPI WaSH Team

[left to right] Morgan Boyd, Ivette Carino, Mackenzie Alameda, and yours truly

PS It's purely a coincidence that this post about my adventures on 11/11 is my 11th post on the blog.  Just like with pictures, you can't plan this crap.