Water Quality in Emergencies

Water & Sanitation department Workshop Emergency - Moia ACFIN - 2006

Quantity / quality
Prioritise quantity / quality, using
specific international standards

(Sphere), especially for emergencies

Why check water quality?

Why check water quality?

Serious public health problems ACF responsibility ACF accountability Programmes impact Millennium Goals, WHO & SPHERE guidelines

Why check water quality in emergencies?

Serious public health problems ACF responsibility ACF accountability Programmes impact Millennium Goals, WHO & SPHERE guidelines

Water Quality
Pollution risk Technical choice Water source choice Standards

Ideal choice
Feasibility

Acceptance

Sustainability

Water Quality in emergencies

Pollution risk Technical choice Water source choice Standards

Ideal choice
Feasibility

Acceptance

Sustainability

Concept of pollution
4. Industrylinked pollution

1. Domestic pollution

3. Agriculture-linked pollution

2. Natural pollution

Pollution in emergencies
4. Industrylinked pollution

1. Domestic pollution

3. Agriculture-linked pollution

2. Natural pollution

Pollutants
Physicochemical parameters pH, turbidity, T, conductivity Biological parameters Bacteria, viruses, parasites

Interaction
Chemical parameters Major ions, trace elements (= toxic minerals)

Water washed / water borne diseases are dominant in emergencies

Afghanistan, Hazaradjat, 2005. Conjunctivitis case Lack of water lead to numerous skin & eyes diseases

Toxics in water are occasional in emergencies

Teeth and bones diseases due to Fluoride-contaminated water consumption, Sri Lanka, 2000

Water related diseases

Due to
Insufficient quantity of water, lack of hygiene
Faecal pollution Urine of mammals (rats) in water Guinea worm Vector breeding Chemical toxics

Diseases
Skin diseases (scabies, mycosis, ophthalmic diseases: conjunctivitis, trachoma) Faecal-oral diseases (diarrhoeas, typhoid, cholera, polio, hepatitis A, certain helminthiasis)
Leptospirosis Dracunculiasis

Malaria, Dengue, yellow fever, onchocerciasis Poisoning, fluorosis, etc

Water related diseases

Due to Diseases

Skin diseases (scabies, Insufficient quantity of Water washed diseases mycosis, ophthalmic diseases: water, lack of hygiene conjunctivitis, trachoma) Faecal-oral diseases (diarrhoeas, typhoid, cholera, Faecal pollution Water borne diseases polio, hepatitis A, certain helminthiasis)
Urine of mammals (rats) in Water based diseases water Guinea worm Vector breeding Chemical toxics Leptospirosis Dracunculiasis

Malaria, Dengue, yellow fever, onchocerciasis Poisoning, fluorosis, etc

Water related diseases in emergency

Due to
Insufficient quantity of water, lack of hygiene
Faecal pollution Urine of mammals (rats) in water Guinea worm Vector breeding Chemical toxics

Diseases
Skin diseases (scabies, mycosis, ophthalmic diseases: conjunctivitis, trachoma) Faecal-oral diseases (diarrhoeas, typhoid, cholera, polio, hepatitis A, certain helminthiasis)
Leptospirosis Dracunculiasis

Malaria, Dengue, yellow fever, onchocerciasis Poisoning, fluorosis, etc

Living beings
Bacteria Diarrhoeas Cholera, typhoid Viruses A hepatitis Poliomyelitis Protozoan Malaria, yellow fever Dysentery Helminths Ascaris, Worms Bilharzias

E. Coli bacteria

Ascaris worms

Chemical elements
Non health related
Na S Mg ClH K Ca C Si O Al P

Fe

H2S

SO4

Health related
Arsenic As Fluoride F NO2-, NO3 Mn, Cu, Pb, Cl2

Chemical elements in emergency

Non health related
Na S Mg ClH K Ca C Si O Al P

Chloride Accept - WHO: 250 mg/l Aluminium Accept - WHO: 0,2 mg/l Iron Accept - WHO: 0,3 mg/l

Fe

H2S

SO4

Health related
Arsenic As Fluoride F NO2-, NO3 Mn, Cu, Pb, Cl2

Sulphate
Accept - WHO: 250 mg/l Chlorine HR - WHO: 5 mg/l

Physico -chemical elements

Conductivity Turbidity

pH
T Colour

Physico -chemical elements in emergencies

Acceptance: max 1500 US/cm
Conductivity Turbidity

Treatment: <5 NTU (Sphere) Treatment:

Impact on FRC: 0,5 1 mg/l if pH<8

pH
T Colour

>1 mg/l if pH>8

Pollution components
Pollution risk
1- Due to the nature / location of water point

Water Water treatment Storage and use

Quality of the resource

2- Due to the exploitation of the water point

Consume d water quality

Quality of the resource

1. Rain water

2. Rivers

3. Lakes & ponds

4. Groundwater

Resource for emergencies

1. Rain water

2. Rivers

3. Lakes & ponds

4. Groundwater

Nature of water point

Non protected well, Congo Pollution risk due to the nature of the water point

Location of water point

TFC water supply and latrines

Exploitation of the water point

Contamination of underground water, Sudan, 2002 Pollution risk due to the exploitation of the water point

Treatment

Treatment of water, Sri Lanka, 2005

Water storage and use

Household water storage, Chechnya, 2004 Inappropriate water storage leads to its contamination

Selection of the source

Water source

choice

Standards
Public health

Feasibility
Technical
Hydrology Hydrochemistry

Social
Acceptance
Sustainability

Re-contamination risks
exploitation storage consumption

Selection of the source in emergency

Water source

choice

Standards
Public health

Feasibility
Technical
Hydrology Hydrochemistry

Social
Acceptance
Sustainability

Re-contamination risks
exploitation, latrines storage consumption

Classical Quality approach

Validate the water source choice
1. FEASIBILITY
Check the quality of the water source the availability of the water the geological conditions the technical possibilities etc.

Validate the quality before hand-over

2. VALIDATION
Check the quality of the water point when it is completed interesting to have an analysis before, an analysis after the program Impact

Monitor the water quality

3. MONITORING
Regularly check the quality of the water from the water point Regularly check the quality at the household level KAP survey, sanitary surveys Long term impact

Emergency Quality approach

Validate the water source choice
1. FEASIBILITY
Check the quality of the water source the availability of the water the geological conditions the technical possibilities etc.

Validate the quality

Monitor the water quality

3. MONITORING
Regularly check the quality of the water from the water point Regularly check the quality at the household level KAP survey, sanitary surveys Long term impact

2. VALIDATION
Check the quality of the water point when it is completed interesting to have an analysis before, an analysis after the program Impact

Classical Quality approach

Validate the water resource choice
FEASABILITY Chemical Regional, village, water point scale Representative survey Before implementation

Validate the quality before hand-over

VALIDATION Chim + Biolo Water point scale Systematic survey Before & after implementations Impact

Water quality Monitoring

MONITORING Biolo (+Chim) Water point scale, Household scale Representative survey Continuous process

Emergency Quality approach

Validate the water resource choice
FEASABILITY Chemical Regional, village, water point scale Representative survey Before implementation

Validate the quality at the water point

VALIDATION Biolo Water point scale Systematic survey Before & after implementations Impact

Water quality Monitoring

MONITORING Biolo Water point scale, Household scale Representative survey Continuous process Including HH

Specificity of water trucking

End of Treatment plant
MONITORING 1
1/ day /15 days FRC, pH, Tb (/day) Cl2 (15 days) On site ACF team ACF team

River

Tap stand and HH

FEASABILITY At first and 1/month Tb, Cd, pH, main chemical risks On site / lab

MONITORING 2
1/ day FRC random 1/week E Coli random On site / lab ACF team + hygiene surveyors

Specificity of water trucking 2

Idea is to use water trucking as a temporary solution because it is:

Specificity of water trucking 2

Idea is to use water trucking as a temporary solution because it is:
-expensive -constraining (treatment, etc) -addictive -leads to mismanagement and corruption - difficult to hand over

Standards
WHO guidelines (long term) Health related parameters Non-health related parameters SPHERE standards (emergency) Minimum standards Key indicators Country guidelines ACF guidelines

Sphere standards: coordination in emergencies

TEST Sphere Standards (2004): Key indicators 5 NTU (for purpose of disinfection) Turbidity Faecal coliforms Chloride, Fluoride, Iron Fe2+, Manganese Nitrates, Nitrites, Sulfates, Arsenic Residual disinfectant products (chlorine)

0 E. coli. /100ml at the point of delivery

No negative health effect is detected due to short-term use of water contaminated by chemical or radiological sources

For piped water and all water supply in case of diarrhoea epidemic, water is treated with free residual chlorine = 0.5 mg/l, and turbidity <5 NTU

WHO guidelines: health related

1. Microbiological quality for drinking water
Parameters
E. Coli or thermo tolerant
coliforms

WHO guideline values

0 colonies /100 ml

Interpretation
Indicators of faecal pollution

Parameters

WHO guideline
0.01 mg/l 5 mg/l Manganese (Mn) Nitrates (NO3-) Nitrites (NO2-) 0.4 mg/l

2. Chemical substances that have some sanitary relevance for drinking water.

Arsenic (As) Chlorine (Cl2) Copper (Cu++) Fluorides (F-) Lead (Pb)

2 mg/l 1.5 mg/l 0,01 mg/l

50 mg/l 3 mg/l

WHO guidelines: health related

1. Microbiological quality for drinking water in emergency
Parameters
E. Coli or thermo tolerant
coliforms

WHO guideline values

0 colonies /100 ml

Interpretation
Indicators of faecal pollution

Parameters

WHO guideline
0.01 mg/l 5 mg/l Manganese (Mn) Nitrates (NO3-) Nitrites (NO2-) 0.4 mg/l

2. Chemical substances that have some sanitary relevance for drinking water.

Arsenic (As) Chlorine (Cl2) Copper (Cu++) Fluorides (F-) Lead (Pb)

2 mg/l 1.5 mg/l 0,01 mg/l

50 mg/l 3 mg/l

WHO guidelines: non health related

3. Drinking water substances and parameters that may lead to acceptability problems.
Parameters WHO recommendations Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) Sodium (Na+) Sulphates (SO4-) Iron (Fe++) Zinc (Zn)

0.05 mg/l

Aluminium (Al) Ammonia (NH4)

0.2 mg/l 1.5 mg/l

200mg/l 250 mg/l 0.3 mg/l 4mg/l

Chloride (Cl-)
Hardness

250 mg/l 200 mg/l

WHO guidelines: non health related

3. Drinking water substances and parameters that may lead to acceptability problems in emergencies.
Parameters WHO recommendations Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) Sodium (Na+) Sulphates (SO4-) Iron (Fe++) Zinc (Zn)

0.05 mg/l

Aluminium (Al) Ammonia (NH4)

0.2 mg/l 1.5 mg/l

200mg/l 250 mg/l 0.3 mg/l 4mg/l

Chloride (Cl-)
Hardness

250 mg/l 200 mg/l

Analysis concept
Frequency Sampling method Equipment Results Results sharing

Sampling
Representative analysis / systematic analysis Sampling method Storage and transport of the samples

Equipment: mini lab

Result form
ANALYSIS REPORT SHEET
Site Identification: Gnral location: Water source: WHO (mg/l) 50 3 1.5 5 0.01 1.5 0.4 0.01 0.3 0 colourimetr. colourimetr. colourimetr. Del agua Del agua moderately polluted strongly polluted Analyse date: Sampling date: Officer in charge: sample 1 (mg/l) sample 2 (mg/l) sample 3 (mg/l)

Category

parameter T

form. NO3 NO2 NH4 Cl2 As F Mg Pb Fe -

method in situ in situ /colour in situ / elect. in situ /colour colourimetr. colourimetr. colourimetr. colourimetr.

Physicochemicals

pH Cd Tb Nitrate

Major parameters Desinfection

Nitrite Ammonium Residual chlorine Arsenic Fluoride

Minerals

Manganese Lead Iron Total Coliform/100 ml Faecal Coliform/ 100 ml

Bacteriological

3 50 10

2 4 1

2 3 250

2.3

Remarks from the Laboratory supervisor:

potable

dangerous

Laboratory Supervisor:

Program Manager:

Conclusion 1

Water quality validation

Water quality monitoring

Conclusion 2 monitoring
Physico-chemical parameters

What?

When?
How?

Why?
Where?

Who?

Chemical parameters At the beginning (feasibility) Biological parameters At the hand over Mini laboratory During long programmes: monitoring Chemical analysis material (Merck) To validate the choices (feasibility) Biological analysis material (Delagua) To validate the quality before handing over Treatment plant To control the quality all along the Tapstands utilisation of the water point ACF team HH storage Person from the partners e.g. MRRD, etc.
External laboratory

Conclusion 3
Emergency
rapid action, no sustainability chemical analysis limited water quality is the only focus systematic biological treatment

Long term
long term view: sustainability is key point large chemical analysis

focus points are water point quality; management & maintenance efficiency
difficult treatment chemical risk & acceptance risk are key points Monitoring: low frequency; done by water point committee or local partner

biological risk is key point

Monitoring: high frequency; done by ACF