W11 B
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
Session Plan
W11 – Context Specific Session
B: Water and Urban Environments
Welcome &
feedback Day
1
W10-Operation
& maintenance
30 mins
2 hrs
NOTE: Given
A.
B.
C.
D.
W11- Context
specific
Workshop
evaluation
45 mins
30 mins
W12 - Site Visit &
discussions
Feedback on
site vistit
2 hr 45 mins
30 mins
Closure
15 mins
time allows for only 1 of the 4 possible context specific sections:
Armed conflict
Urban environments
Cold climates
Arid and semi-arid environments
Session-at-a-Glance
Session Activities
Approx.
Time
Instructional Activity
Identify particular challenges faced in urban
environments
20 mins
Small group discussion and
plenary feedback.
Discussion of possible responses in urban
environments
25 mins
Case study discussion with
power point presentation
Total time
45 mins
Session Aims

The participants will have increased knowledge on features of emergency water supply
provision in urban environments.
Session Objectives
By the end of the session, participants will better understand:

The provision of emergency water supply in urban environments
Session Materials

Computer and projector

Flip chart and pens

Handouts: - Reed, B (2005) ‘Rehabilitating Water Treatment Works After an
Emergency’, WHO Technical Notes for Emergencies, No 6 (W11.3)
- Kayaga, S (1995) ‘Rehabilitating Small-Scale Piped Water Distribution
Systems’, WHO Technical Notes for Emergencies, No 4 (W11.4)
Key Messages

Complexity of urban supplies including networks, systems, risks from contamination

Positive aspects including availability of skilled personnel, higher literacy levels of the
population, women more empowered, more access to spares etc

Difficulties in conflict situations in urban environments, particularly when sources or
pipes, are set in or have to cross areas of conflicting parties
1
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W11 B
Facilitator Guidance
Background reading for facilitator:

Kayaga, S (1995) ‘Rehabilitating Small-Scale Piped Water Distribution Systems’,
WHO Technical Notes for Emergencies, No 4

Reed, B (2005) ‘Rehabilitating Water Treatment Works After an Emergency’, WHO
Technical Notes for Emergencies, No 6

Twort, A. C. et al (2000) Water Supply, 5th edn, Arnold with IWA Publishing, London

WHO (1994) ‘Operation and Maintenance of Urban Water Supply and Sanitation
Systems; A guide for managers’, WHO, Geneva
Session plan
Exercise – particular challenges in urban environments: (20 min)
PP slide 2-4
2. Sit in small groups of 2 or 3 and identify the particular
challenges that an emergency water response may have in
areas of armed conflict
Ask two or three of the groups to feedback, and then any
other participants to add additional challenges
3. Ask the whole group for ideas as to how to respond to
these challenges.
4. Highlight some of the positive aspects of repsoning in an
urban environment.
Session Plan – W11 B
2
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W11 B
Overview of considerations and possible responses in urban environments: (25
min)
PP slides 5-9
5-7. Use the three case studies on the PowerPoint (Monrovia, Beirut & Kathmandu) to
highlight some of the challenges, already covered in the group work and link to the
responses identified.
8. Identify priority actions for urban water in emergencies,
including identifying and working with previous (or current)
employees operating or managing the water system – their
knowledge is invaluable
9. Discuss priority for repair of existing urban water systems
Link this section up with the points raised during the group work, skip over points already
covered in the earlier discussion
Session Plan – W11 B
3