WASH Cluster - Somalia Programme

Guidelines for water treatment

(Working Group Draft - August 2010)
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1. Introduction
One of the objectives of the WASH Cluster strategy in Somalia is to ensure increased and sustained access to safe water
through chlorination of existing water systems especially in drought and flood prone areas where the population rely on
unprotected shallow wells, berkads, dams and pans that are exposed to open and surface contamination causing diarrhoeal
diseases and recurrent AWD/Cholera outbreaks.
The purpose of these guidelines is to promote the use of standardized, efficient and cost effective approaches that are
applicable in Somalia context to mitigate the causes of water related diseases.

2. Disinfection of Wells
2.1. Protected wells
Chlorination and disinfection of protected wells will be done if there has been any construction, installation, maintenance or
repair of the well. Refer to section 5.1 for disinfection process

2.2.Unprotected wells
Open hand dug wells are liable to pollution through polluted ground water if the well is too close to pit latrines, soakaways or
refuse dumps; through seepage and water from the surface; through vessels used for drawing water; through rubbish thrown
down the well or through spilt waster i.e. water which has splashed against feet of people drawing water and falling back into
the well. Disinfecting a contaminated well without removing the source of contamination provides only temporary solution that
may be necessary in the event of AWD/Cholera outbreak. Therefore, the following is recommended:
- (i) A minimum of 30m downstream the well is required for construction of pit latrines).
- (ii) Protect the well properly through lining the well with concrete rings, construction of a well head, covering the well with
a concrete slab, fitting a hand pump and constructing a drainage apron to take spilt water to a soakaway.
- (iii) Disinfection of only drinking water than the whole quantity of water in the well is recommended to reduce the quantity
of chlorine required. (Refer to section 4 for household water treatment for settled communities and section 5 for
household treatment during period of outbreaks).

2.3. Hotspot unprotected wells

Exception has to be made on these wells because they are located in areas attracting a lot of nomadic pastoralists and their
livestock, which are exposed to permanent contamination as detailed under section 2.2. until they are protected. Therefore
chlorination until they are protected and the daily test of “Free residual Chlorine” for subsequent chlorination is strongly
recommended especially during periods of outbreaks. However, a phased approach including development of an action plan
for protection of these wells is strongly recommended to stem permanent chlorination, which is an expensive operation
(Refer to section 4 for household water treatment for settled communities and section 5 for household treatment
during period of outbreaks).

2.4. Shock chlorinationThis will be performed if there has been flooding or if there has been decomposition of organic matters in the
well or if the well has been abandoned for a long period of time without being used. The shock chlorination must reach a concentration of
about 200mg/l of FRC for at least 2 hours.
Calculate the volume of water available in the well : (volume = π x r2 x h [π = 3.14, r = rayon du puits, h = hauteur d'eau
])
Pour 50 liters of solution at 1% Chlorine per m3 of water in the well, mix carefully, and close access to the well
for 12h .
This water is not fit for drinking and therefore must be pumped out and well refilled until the FRC reaches 0.5mg/l.

3. Berkads, pans and dams

Berkads, pans and dams are liable to surface contamination throughout their life. Given their high turbidity and huge volume,
disinfecting them is not recommended. It is rather advisable to only treat the drinking water collected from these structures
through household water treatment/point of use water treatment (Refer to section 4 for household water treatment for
settled communities and section 5 for household treatment during period of outbreaks).

4. Some common Household water treatment for settled communities

4.1. Ceramic candle filters

- They filter the water; remove turbidity, pathogens and suspended solids.
- When they often coated or impregnated with silver they provide a system of disinfecting the contaminated water and
prevent microbial growth. Proven reduction of bacteria and protozoa, no residual disinfectant but the container provides
safe storage.
- Over time the filter can be become clogged with debris, which blocks the pores and reduce the flow rate.
-
- It runs at a flow rate of 1-2 litres per hour and a collection reservoir with tap is provided
4.2. Ceramic pot filters
- They work in a similar way as ceramic candle filters.
- Runs at an average flow rate of 1-3 litres per hour and a collection tap of clean water is provided
- Over time the filter can be become clogged with debris, which blocks the pores and reduce the flow rate.
- Training on operation and maintenance and monitoring is needed to improving the likelihood sustainability

4.3. Bio-sand filters

- These are slow sand filters adapted for use in the home. They provide a potentially permanent solution to household
water treatment, combining mechanical filtration with biological inactivation of pathogens (95% removal of coliforms and
a 99% removal of Cryptosporidum and Giardia cysts).
- It removes turbidity (if raw water turbidity is <50 NTU), some iron, manganese and arsenic.
- Can supply household of 6-15 users as it runs at a flow rate of about 1 litre/min.
- Correct operation requires a constant water level of approximately 5 cm above the sand level during the pause periods
- A start up period of 1 to 3 weeks is needed for the biological layer to develop
- Training on operation and maintenance and monitoring is needed to improving the likelihood sustainability

5.1. SODIS – Solar Disinfection

- The system is suitable treating small volumes of water (10L) of low turbidity (<30NTU) in areas of high sunlight
- The system is known to deactivate 99.9% of bacteria and slightly less for viruses
- Water is put in clear plastic bottles and left on a corrugated iron roof in the sun for 6-48 hours depending on the intensity
of the sunlight. It the temperature of the water is more than 50 degrees C, only 1 hour of exposure is required but water
needs to be cooled before drinking.
- The system is highly effective against bacteria, viruses and protozoa

Do we have any experience on how we can reduce the turbidity (eg is the Moringa tree present in Somalia)

5. Household water treatment during periods of outbreaks/floods

5.2. Chlorination using HTH 70%

How much chlorine solution is required?
When you add chlorine to water, the chlorine gets used to kill off bacteria. If the water is clean, no chlorine is used. If the
water is very contaminated all of the chlorine may be used up, and there still may be more bacteria left, because the amount
of chlorine used was insufficient. When chlorinating drinking water it is important to know how much chlorine is needed to kill
all the bacteria, because we want to leave a little bit extra to protect the water from further contamination. This little bit extra
is called the Free Residual Chlorine (FRC), SPHERE key indicator recommends this to be to be 0.5mg/l – that is 0.5
milligrams of chlorine remaining for each litre of water. Specifically in settings with a high number of diarrheal cases or
cholera it is important to ensure water is chlorinated and residual chlorine levels are 0.5mg/l

Jar Test
The main method of determining the chlorine demand of the water is as follows:
1. Prepare a 1% Stock Solution of chlorine (1% solution=10g/l; for HTH 70%=10/0.7=14.28g/l say 15g/l or 1 level
table spoon of HTH in 1 litre of water)
2. Fill 4 non-metal buckets with 20L each of water to be treated
3. Add an increasing volume of 1% stock solution of chlorine to each bucket using a syringe e.g.

1st Bucket: 1ml of 1% Stock solution

2nd Bucket: 1.5ml of 1% Stock solution
3rd Bucket: 2ml of 1% Stock solution
4th Bucket: 2.5ml of 1% Stock solution

4.
Stir each bucket for 30seconds to ensure the chlorine solution is properly mixed
5.
Wait a minimum of 30 minutes contact time – VERY IMPORTANT (Note for PH above 8 longer contact time will
need to be respected )
6. Measure the levels of Free Residual Chlorine in each bucket If we never see water with PH above 8 better to
delete this using the DPD Free Chlorine Comparator (use DPD No 1 tablet)
7. Choose the bucket that gives approximately 0.5mg/L FRC.
8. Always recheck the chlorine demand of the water periodically and when the water source is changed or known to
vary or when new batch of HTH is used. This will ensure that the FRC level is maintained. (note that the strength of
HTH will reduce over time when stored at high temperatures.
9. It may be necessary to repeat the test if the water has a high chlorine demand (or in case your HTH will have lost
some strength). In this case you would put 3ml of 1% Stock solution in the first bucket, 3.5ml in the second, 4ml until
a FRC of 0.5mg/l is obtained). You may need to repeat this process a third time if necessary.
10. By extrapolation from the right dose, calculate the quantity of 1% chlorine solution required based on the
volume of water to be treated (e.g. for a 5L jerry can i.e. ¼ of 20l, you need 0.5ml of 1% solution).
Chlorine Dose = Chlorine Demand + Free Residual Chlorine
Stock solution
The stock solution is what you will use to chlorinate water. Do not keep the stock solution for more than 1 week. Do not store
chlorine or stock solutions in metal containers.

5.3. PUR / WaterMaker Sachets

- Contain both a coagulant (iron sulphate) to remove turbidity and a chlorine salt disinfectant to purify the water. The
chlorine leaves some residual effect protecting the treated water from recontamination
- Appropriate for use in high turbidity water and first phase flooding where people are still in their houses and it is
impossible to have a centralised water point
- After 30 minutes the water is poured into another container with a clean cloth or a metal filter to prevent the residual
passing through the drinking water container

5.4. Aquatabs
- Aquatabs contain chlorine salt disinfectant. One tab is added to a container and users should wait 30 minutes before
drinking the water to ensure sufficient mixing of the chlorine in the water.
- Care should be taken to standardise the approach for use of one tablet to treat 20L (to avoid conflicting messages)

5.5. Sodium hypochlorite solution

- This is a chlorine solution packaged in a bottle with directions instructing users to add one full bottle cap of solution to
clear water or two caps to turbid water in a standard-sized storage container. You have to agitate and wait 30 minutes
before drinking
6. Chlorination of Pumped schemes and water storage tanks
- The same principle as indicated under section 5.1.for calculation of the chlorine required will apply for chlorination of
water in the storage tanks
- There exist “Automatic dosing system/ like Dosatron” that are inline installed in the pressure mains and can be
calibrated to get the FRC required in the water storage tanks
- There is also “Chlorine Constant Rate Dosing Kits” which are installed on the water storage tanks for automatic
dosing of water in the distribution network.

7. Hygiene Promotion
Water treatment alone does not guarantee access to safe water, therefore an integrated approach involving sensitisation and
training of beneficiaries on good hygiene practices for safe water handling and storage is necessary. Thus the following
activities should be implemented:
- Adequate training on safe water chain (collection and handling, storage and treatment)
- Training on safe use, operation and maintenance of household water treatment
- Regular monitoring of point of use water quality and maintenance of the system
- Ensure replacement parts are available
- Provision of containers (at least two containers – one for collection and one for storage of treated/drinking water with lid)
- A clean cup for drinking water

Specific Hygiene messages for safe water handling and storage

1. Use only treated water for drinking.
2. Ensuring hands are clean before collecting or handling water and they not come into direct contact with the water
(pouring rather than scooping if no tap on the container)
3. Use of clean cup or mugs for drinking
4. Wash vegetables and fruit with clean water.
5. Wash hands with soap, ash or sand after using latrines, after washing a babies bottom or handling stools.
6. Wash hands with soap, ash or sand before preparing food and before eating
7. Keep the drinking water in a separate clean and covered container

More information on chlorination well cleaning and disinfecting reservoirs can be found at
http://wedc.lboro.ac.uk/knowledge/notes_emergencies.html

More information on HHWTS can be found at:

http://www.akvo.org/wiki/index.php/Portal:Water Field
http://www.kitpublishers.nl/smartsite.shtml?ch=FAB&id=33693&ItemID=2842
Field