WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Water in Emergencies
Session 11C
Context Specific Scenarios (3 of 4)
Cold Climates
W11C
1
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Challenges in Cold Climates
Exercise:
• What are the particular
challenges that can be
faced in the provision of
water for emergencies in
cold climates?
Tajikistan
S House / OXFAM-GB
W11C
2
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Challenges for Water Provision in
• Logistics
Cold Climates
•
Access for users - slipping risks
•
Problems with queuing time –
hypothermia, respiratory
infections
•
Need for hot water for bathing
•
Freezing water – tanks & pipes
•
Increased snow loads
•
Malfunctioning mechanical pumps
•
Water quality may change
•
Treatment processes need
modification
•
Concrete curing
•
Welfare of staff
Tajikistan
S House / OXFAM-GB
W11C
3
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Water & Cold Temperatures
• Water density decreases when frozen & volumes
expand
• Viscosity increases – reduces settling speeds
• Water to ice can excerpt pressures up to 2,500 kg/cm2
(25km high)
• New snow is a relatively good thermal insulator
compares with more compacted snow
W11C
4
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Supplying Water in Mountainous
Areas
Northern Iraq (Kurdistan) 1991:
• Airdrops of water on plastic pallets – up to 95%
broken on impact
• Water in storage tanks by helicopter – cost approx
USD 3.50 / litre
•Stockpiling useful for hard to access areas
•Snow can be used as a temporary water source
W11C
5
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Insulated Water Tanks
Design to reduce
heat loss:
•Larger tanks
•Round tanks
•Straight sides vs
corrugated – less
surface area
•Insulate base,
valves, sides
•Strong roofs – snow
loads
W11C
Buttle, M, Smith, M & Shaw, R (no date)
‘Emergency water supply in cold regions’,
Waterlines Technical Brief, No 62
6
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Preventing Freezing Pipes & Fittings
Buttle, M & Smith, M (1999) ‘Out in the Cold, Emergency
Water Supply and Sanitation for Cold Regions’, WEDC
‘Tap box’ for
insulation
W11C
•
Water freezing in pipes & fittings
can cause them to burst
•
Continuous flow preferable
•
Drain intermittent supplies inbetween use
•
Bury pipes deeper than frost
penetration
•
Insulate pipes – with lagging or
‘insulating concrete’
•
MDPE still ductile at very low
temperatures (- 60oC), PVC is
more brittle
•
Insulate tapstands, place near
to users
7
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Mechanical Equipment &
Construction
Mechanical equipment:
Construction:
• Use correct grade engine
oil for the temperature
• Use local knowledge
• Use diesel suitable for cold
climates
• Anti-freeze in cooling
system
• Keep pumps indoors
• Keep concrete warm while curing
• Add anti-freeze chemicals to the
concrete, but care with selection for
reinforced concrete
• Careful of constructing on frozen
ground – may weaken when
thawed
• Design for snow loads
W11C
8
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Water Quality & Treatment
• Salts & impurities concentrated in non frozen parts of
lakes
• Protozoan cysts, Giardia & Cryptosporidium, can be
capable of living in cold environments
• Boiling – increase by one minute for each 1,000m
above sea level
• Chlorination – increase retention time x 1.5 - 3.5 for
every 6oC drop in temp (below 20 oC)
W11C
9
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Hot Water for Bathing in Cold
Climates
• Additional challenge in cold climates
• Pakistan earthquake – particular challenge of hot water
for bathing
• The main challenges:
– The availability and continuity of fuel / power – wood,
gas, electricity
– Providing culturally acceptable facilities for women
who previously lived in seclusion
W11C
10
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
Hot Water for Bathing in Cold
Climates
W
‘Put & take’
water heater
Ref: Buttle & Smith (1999)
‘Out in the Cold’, WEDC
W11C
11
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
Photo: S House / OXFAM-GB
W
Hot Water Heater, Abbatobad,
NWFP, Pakistan
Hot water heater for supply to
bathing units - Havelian camp,
Abbatobad, NWFP, Pakistan
Construction arranged by the
local government
Thought to have functioned well
but problems of fuel availability
meant they were not used much
Fuel was improvised by using
clothes, wooden boxes, etc
W11C
12
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Bathing Block with Hot Water,
Battagram, NWFP, Pakistan
Bathing block, Shingli Paen
village, Battagram, NWFP,
Pakistan
Developed by Austrian & German
Red Cross - as part of the PRCS
earthquake response
Stoves provided inside for heating
water - users bring fuel
IFRC Pakistan Delegation
W11C
Separate sides for male and
female in the same block – agreed
with community – but some
cultural challenges faced
13
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Stoves Distributed in Pakistan
IFRC Pakistan Delegation
IFRC Pakistan Delegation
W11C
Stoves provided by the Pakistan Red
Crescent Society and the IFRC household level in response to the
Pakistan earthquake
14
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Warm Bath Shelters, Balakot,
NWFP, Pakistan
ACF
ACF
Separate single sex, warm bath shelters
designed by ACF, Balokot, Pakstan
W11C
15
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Warm Bath Shelters, Balakot,
NWFP, Pakistan
• Fuel – kerosene
• Includes – 10 dressing /
shower boxes & laundry area
• 2 to 3 times per week per
person
• Small fee for adults to use –
managed by community
• Challenges:
– Constant supply of fuel
ACF
W11C
– Less use by women – cultural
challenges
16
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Passive Solar Water Heating
Mansehra, NWFP, Pakistan
• Supported by OXFAM
• Each unit had 10 parallel fluorescent light tubes
• Each unit heated 60 litres of water at a time, at 65% on
high cloud days
• Could fill each unit 3 to 4 times per day
• Cost about 200 USD / unit (excluding pipes and tapstands)
• Set up to allow everyone a hot bath every 3 days
(See the commercial examples on next slide)
W11C
17
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Passive Solar Water Heating
Passive solar water heating using fluorescent tubes – can also be purchased
from commercial companies, such as SunMaxx
http://www.siliconsolar.com/visual-directory/solar-evacuated-tube-collectors.html
W11C
18
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Electric Water Heated Showers,
Bam Earthquake Response, Iran
S Sow / ACF
W11C
S Sow / ACF
19
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Electric Water Heated Showers,
Bam Earthquake Response, Iran
• Supported by ACF
• 1 unit for a group of 3-5
families
• Families helped dig drainage
pits
• Electric heaters brought from
province capital
• Electricity was provided free
at the time
S Sow / ACF
• Very well accepted by users
and authorities
W11C
20
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Chulli Water Treatment
(& water heating system)
Chulli system from Bangladesh &
supported in response to the 20078 cyclone emergency by OXFAMGB
Developed as a water treatment
system but also providing hot water
which could be used in cold
climates
Photos: Richard Johnston / UNICEF
W11C
The system was developed by the Rajshahi
University, tested by Integrated Approach for
Community Development and supported by UNICEF
21
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Designing facilities
to meet the needs of the
(different groups of) users
Discuss with the beneficiaries
their needs
ask for feedback
modify where appropriate
W11C
22
WASH Cluster – Water in Emergencies
W
Acknowledgement
Much of the material for the first part of this Module
(prior to hot water for bathing in cold climates)
has been taken from:
Buttle, M & Smith, M (1999) ‘Out in the Cold, Emergency Water Supply
and Sanitation for Cold Regions’, WEDC
&
Buttle, M, Smith, M & Shaw, R (no date) ‘Emergency water supply in
cold regions’, Waterlines Technical Brief, No 62
W11C
23