Speakers

Dr Preyan Arumugam is a non-sewered sanitation scientist driven by a passion for advancing innovative solutions that improve sanitation access for underserved communities. She has Bachelors and Master’s degrees in Biology followed by a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in Durban, South Africa. From the outset, her research has adopted a transdisciplinary approach, bridging science, engineering, and policy to address real-world sanitation challenges and impact change in the sector. She currently serves as the Deputy Director of the WASH R&D Centre at UKZN. Her expertise lies in the design and optimisation of decentralised wastewater treatment systems (DWWTs) and the testing and validation of water-efficient sanitation solutions (WESS), including non-sewered sanitation systems (NSSS), innovative frontends (low-flush and mechanical) and other off-grid technologies. This applied research has directly informed the development and revision of technical standards such as ISO 30500, SANS 24521 and SANS 1733. She works closely with national and local government, municipalities, technology providers, commercial partners, certification bodies, and testing institutions. She is also a Technical Advisor to the National Department of Water and Sanitation for efforts around improving sanitation in South Africa. Beyond research, Preyan is deeply committed to nurturing the next generation of non-sewered sanitation scientists and engineers. She lectures a final-year Chemical Engineering elective on Faecal Sludge Management, supervises postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers, and delivers accredited trainings to professionals. Currently, she is spearheading efforts to establish a formal Validation Centre for sanitation technologies at UKZN.