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Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener
Adaptable water-laboratory unit Decentralised water quality testing in remote & alpine regions
40th WEDC Conference 2017: Paper presentation on 26.07.2017
Arnt Diener
Drinking-water quality advisor
EAWAG and WHO European Centre for Environment and Health
Authors: Arnt Diener, Ariane Schertenleib, Madan Bhatta, Mohan Bhatta, Daniel Sihombing, Irfan Pratama,
Moa Kenea, Dr Sara Marks (PI)
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener
In a nutshell
Project purpose
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Field kit Central lab Decentralised lab unit
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? Motivation
Requirements
Benefits/opportunities
Design
Validation
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener
Introduction /1
Low awareness for water quality
River water intake in Varzob valley, Tajikistan
© Arnt Diener
Consumer perception (sensory)
does not reveal potability
❑ Odour
❑ Taste
❑ Colour
❑ Turbidity
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener
Introduction /2
Difficult system access and complex maintenance
Untreated supply in Dullu Municipality, Nepal
© Arnt Diener
Water quality and maintenance are not questioned
❑ Trusted water origin: “spring” or “mountain”
❑ Lack of information: irregular testing, low reliability
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener 5
Introduction /3
Lack of access to laboratory services
• Confirm operational processes
❑ System maintenance
❑ Treatment performance / disinfection dosing
• Guide system setup and modifications
❑ Water sourcing: initial or after disruptions – e.g. Nepal earthquake
❑ Treatment requirements and supplier/consumer motivation (!)
• Verify compliance with applicable standards
❑ Demonstrate system functionality to consumers
❑ Meet increasing demands for data collection (SDG)
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener
Introduction /4
Overwhelming system number and distance from lab
© Arnt Diener
2-24 hours REGIONAL
LAB
Centralized laboratories are often unfit to
serve (remote) rural water supplies
❑ Transport times often exceed WHO
standards for microbial testing
❑ Water supply variety and number
often exceeds central capacities
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener
Introduction /5
Testing demand exceeds field kit purpose
© Arnt Diener
2-6 hours Lab unit
Local laboratory support requires
adapted, but sustainable setup
❑ Ideally local maintenance and use
of existing supply chains
❑ Ideally fit for regular lab support at
variable testing volumes
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener
Setup /1
Research Question
Main research question:
How can decentralised laboratory units facilitate water quality
testing and system improvements as an intermediate solution?
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener
Setup /2
Research Collaboration
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Collaboration between international researchers and community suppliers/experts
EAWAG Sandec Department - Water Supply and Treatment & Safe Water Promotion Groups
and HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation - Water Resource Management Program for Nepal
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener
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Field kit Central lab Decentralised lab unit
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? Project/Short-term
Individual supplies
Battery
Permanent
Regional coverage
Grid electricity
Medium-long term
Local coverage (2-6h)
Off-grid power supply
Setup /3
Research gap
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener
Setup /4
Research Program
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
2014-15
Baseline
2015-16
System Dynamics
2017-18
REACH pilot
Phase 0
2014
Desk review
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener 12
Laboratory design /1
Decentralised laboratory unit
• Focus on microbial testing as most pressing issue
❑ Technically difficult (aseptic handling)
❑ Primary health concern
❑ Alpine and low-income settings various adaptations (climate, budget)
❑ Sample transportation quickly exceeds cost and time limits
• Setup shall motivate sanitary inspections and operational monitoring
❑ Local testing by or in collaboration with water suppliers can trigger action
❑ Accountability of suppliers can motivate inspections and maintenance
❑ Value/cost of microbial testing can motivate operational monitoring (meters)
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener 13
Laboratory design /2
Decentralised laboratory unit
• Selected equipment and consumables for testing of key indicators
❑ Membrane filtration set for E. coli
= integrate existing modules (DelAgua filter, CDP petri dishes, etc.)
❑ Handheld meters for conductivity, temperature, turbidity and pH
❑ Mobile application (Akvo FLOW/mWater) for sanitary inspection
❑ Careful consumable selection: Price / Sourcing / Availability / Variability
• Adapted methodology to facilitate sustainable operation
❑ Adapted microbial testing methodology
❑ Adapted cooling chain and modified incubation system
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener 14
Piloting /1
Installation in Nepal
© Sara Marks
Installed laboratory (microbial element) in Nepal
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener
Piloting /2
Training
Training on bacterial incubation and manual turbidity quick check
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Sch
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leib
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener
Piloting /3
Validation
Scientific piloting:
Over 3000 samples from more than 20 water supplies
Daily monitoring:
Laboratory and field blanks, positive and negative controls, temperature every min.
Development of SOPs:
Aseptic sampling, safe sample transport, laboratory processing and disposal
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener 17
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Lessons learned /1
Collaborative adaptation
Adapted laboratory equipment, local engineering,
and proven testing methods can form a great team.
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener
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Field kit Central lab Decentralised lab unit
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Lessons learned /2
Lab unit is feasible based on adapted modules
validated adaptations can be worthwhile
not only for alpine regions
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener 19
Lessons learned /3
Motivation for action
• Adaptable laboratory unit fulfils expectations
❑ Lab unit allows low-cost testing and use of various consumable types
❑ Off-grid electrical setup and simplified microbial equipment validated
❑ Training of local experts and first testing pilot successful
• Water quality testing motivated sanitary inspections and action
❑ Identified contaminant level differences between different supplies schemes
in one region have triggered further testing and inspections
❑ Local testing of water quality has drawn attention to supply scheme limitations,
and was followed by sanitary inspections and first system modifications
Decentralised drinking-water quality testing | WEDC 2017 | Arnt Diener 20
The end
Thank you
Arnt Diener, Germany / [email protected]
Dr Sara Marks, USA (PI) / [email protected]
Ariane Schertenleib, CH / [email protected]
Madan Bhatta, Nepal
Mohan Bhatta, Nepal
Daniel Daniel, Indonesia
Irfan Pratama, Indonesia
Moa Kenea, Ethiopia
AU
TH
OR
S
FU
ND
ING
eawag.ch/en/department/sandec/projects/wst/nep
al-safe-water-quality
reachwater.org.uk/funding/catalyst-projects-call-
1/establishing-a-water-quality-monitoring-network-
in-mid-western-nepal/ WE
BLIN
KS