Water & Sanitation Issues Bangladesh Flood Emergency Water & Sanitation Sector Working Group 13 th September 2004

UNICEF Flood – immediate impact on water & sanitation 200,000 GoB tubewells plus maybe 1.8 million private wells underwater Other water sources (ringwells, PSFs, underground RWH tanks, etc.) also out of action Urban areas, esp. Dhaka – contamination through leaking pipelines & underground tanks, major city drainage problems, sewerage system inoperable, mixing of storm water & sewage Sanitation facilities under water, collapsed – maybe 3 million latrines affected Affected population with limited access to safe water and sanitary method for excreta disposal, especially in flood shelters Major risks of diarrhoea outbreaks, possible major epidemic, such as cholera

UNICEF Initial response to flood GoB main response through DPHE – 14,252 tubewells raised, 93,790 tubewells disinfected, 824 new tubewells & 2,185 latrines installed in flood shelters. Financial support from UNICEF DWASA maintained water supply in Dhaka as far as possible, including making free water available for bulk supply by NGOs (DSK, CARE, etc.) for distribution in slum areas WPTs, bleaching powder provided by several agencies (UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA, NGO Forum) NGO response in project areas by NGO Forum, CARE, WaterAid partners, etc.

UNICEF Problems encountered WPT was not available in country – needed importing, process was slow Access to flood affected areas to carry out disinfection, distribute WPT was difficult due to damaged transport system Limited sanitation solutions in flood-affected areas. With concentration of populations in shelters, available land and buildings, few available latrines rapidly filled, plus open defecation inevitably occurred. Water & sanitation facilities not planned for in many flood shelters, so had to be hurriedly installed once flood had hit Too few trained tubewell mechanics

UNICEF

Post-flood response – short term Continue disinfection programme for tubewells, including training of emergency tubewell mechanics. Assessment of flood damage – underway at present, including water quality analysis with ICDDRB Repairs to damaged water supply systems – tubewell repair and replacement, clean-up & repair of other technologies, esp. in arsenic affected areas. Clean-up of urban pipelines & repairs to damaged pumping systems Replacement of damaged household latrines Environmental clean-up

UNICEF Post-flood response – longer term Mapping of shelter locations Installation of improved water & sanitation facilities at suitable flood shelter locations – raised tubewells, RWH tanks, raised latrines Review standard designs of tubewell platforms, latrines, etc., in light of floods Review designs for, & choice of, safe water options in arsenic-affected flood-prone areas Review emergency preparedness on annual basis, including stocks of emergency supply items such as WPT, water tanks, jerry cans, mini treatment plants etc. Dhaka city – urgent need for improved urban planning and implementation, especially on drainage & sewerage

UNICEF Organisation of post-flood activities UNICEF focal agency for UN Flash Appeal – expected to receive approx $5 million (DFID, Japan, German Natcom) Key partners – DPHE, DWASA, NGO Forum, DSK (other NGOs under coordination of NGO Forum) DPHE has prepared PCP for approx. $50 million