Water Quality
Water Quality
Water quality is defined by the physical, chemical, biological and aesthetic characteristics of the water. The indicators of each property are:
- Biological: bacteria, algae
- Physical: temperature, turbidity and clarity, colour, salinity, suspended solids, dissolved solids
- Chemical: pH, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, nutrients (including nitrogen and phosphorus), organic and inorganic compounds (including toxicants)
- Aesthetic: odours, taints, colour, floating matter
Most water suppliers throughout the Pacific advise users to boil their water before drinking. The range of contaminants varies, but generally saltwater intrusion, coliforms and other harmful biological agents are the biggest worries. Unfortunately, outbreaks of cholera and typhoid are still a common occurrence in the Pacific. Industrial, mining and agricultural activities in certain areas of the Pacific have also had a significant impact on the water quality in these locations. Water quantity (supply) has been the major focus of most water projects in the Pacific, with little thought given to water quality issues.
Water Quality Monitoring Capacity Building Programme for PICs
Introduction
SOPAC in collaboration with WHO and IAS-USP submitted a proposal to NZAID for a Regional Water Quality Monitoring Programme. The funding for a sum of NZ$707,000 was approved and the programme start date was 18th May 2006. The programme is for a period of 3 years (2006-2009).
The programme is an important contribution to the implementation of the
Pacific Regional Action Plan (2002) and the
Pacific Framework for Action on Drinking Water Quality and Health (2005).
The Theme and Key message of the Pacific RAP related to the Water Quality Capacity Building Programme is:
Theme 1:
Water Resource Management
Key Message 1:
Strengthen the capacity of small island countries to conduct water resources assessment and monitoring as a key component of sustainable water resources management.
Programme Goal and Objectives
Goal
Reduced risk of water related diseases, the health of Pacific Island people improved and safeguarded.
Objective
Sustainable national capacity created to maintain safe quality of drinking water, surface, ground and coastal waters.
Programme Outputs
1. Gaps in knowledge, equipment, resources and problem areas identified.
2. Increased local capacity to carry out water quality monitoring
3. Network of water quality monitoring personnel and agencies created and functioning.
4. NGO’s supported to increase public awareness on water and health issues.
5. Water quality data available to relevant government agencies to make informed management and planning decisions.
6. Water quality data and information disseminated
Programme Status (as at 28/02/07)
• The country selection process has been completed. The 4 pilot countries are Cooks, Niue, Marshall Islands and Vanuatu
• Baseline assessment of in-country lab capacity has been completed for Niue, Marshall Islands and Vanuatu. Tonga and Solomons have also been visited and report compiled. Cook Islands will be visited from the 5-9 March 2007.
• Priority problems in pilots visited have been identified. The following are basically common amongst all the countries visited.
- there is array of labs
- generally no QA/QC being practiced
- need training (refresher) for operating some instruments like the HACH DR series kits
- uncalibrated instruments
- No SOPs
- expired reagents
- problems with data storage
- no proper monitoring programme
Workplan 2007
• Niue visit – has been completed 2-8 Feb
• Cooks visit – 5-9 March
The visits will incorporate initial lab assessment/ identify key problem areas etc
IAS-USP based Sub regional lab training workshop
14-18 May 2007 at IAS, Suva, Fiji.
• IAS-USP will host the workshop and be overall in-charge of coordination and facilitation. NZMoH will also provide experts for training facilitation.
Guam EPA based Sub regional lab training workshop
16-20 July 2007 at Guam EPA
• Guam EPA will host the workshop and be overall in-charge of coordination and facilitation. NZMoH1 will also provide experts for training facilitation.
September to December
in-country lab assistance/training, instrument set-up, calibration etc
• Sept – Vanuatu
• Oct – Marshall Islands
• Nov – Niue
• Dec – Cooks
Other activities during non-travelling months:
• database formation (NZMoH will assist with the database development in terms of expertise and funds)
• ordering of basic equipment (like membrane filtration units, incubators, distillers, simple on-site meters) and drafting of a manual for best lab practices – done by IAS
• preparations of awareness materials (WHO)
Programme Contacts
1. Tasleem Hasan
Programme Officer
WQM Programme
SOPAC
E-mail:
Tasleem@sopac.org
2. Mitesh Mudaliar
Programme Officer
WSP/WQM Programmes
WHO
E-mail:
mudaliarm@sp.wpro.who.int
3. Professor Bill Aalbersberg
Director
IAS-USP
E-mail:
Aalbersberg@usp.ac.fj
Programme Brochure
Reports
The reports which dont have a link can be obtained from Tasleem Hasan
Hydrogen Sulphide Paper Strip Test (H2S Test)
A low-cost alternative test for bacteria to reveal possible faecal contamination in drinking water which is simple and easy to interpret is the Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) paper-strip test. Hydrogen sulphide producing bacteria are associated with the presence of faecal contamination and may be used as indicator organisms for faecal contamination.
The test is well suited for monitoring drinking water systems in developing tropical countries, in remote field locations, and in disaster or emergency situations.
The following report provides information on the scientific basis, manufacture and use of the H2S paper strip test in the Pacific Islands. In addition, suggestions are given on how the test could be utilised for rural, outer island and community-based water quality monitoring.
SOPAC and WHO are working with an NGO in Fiji, Live and Learn Environmental Education (L&L) to produce a H2S training or tool kit as part of their Pacific Water Safety and Water Quality Programmes. A similar toolkit had already been produced by L&L and this will be further refined to add more information before being used in communities.
The H2S toolkit can be accessed through the link below. The H2S paper strip test is a major part of this toolkit. You can use the H2S paper-strip test to regularly monitor the quality of your water supply and mobilize community action.
The
PathoScreen test produced by the HACH Company in USA is commercially available and is based on the same scientific principles as the H2S paper-strip test. You can read more on this commercially available product through the link below.
Websites
Water Quality Focal Group
This group consists mostly of officers from water and health sectors of the Pacific Island Region and some technical advisers/experts in the water quality field. The purpose of forming the group is to share and exchange ideas or issues related to water quality. To become a member of the group.
The Water Quality group has members from both the water supply and health sectors and is co-ordinated by Tasleem Hasan.
For more information please contact:
Tasleem Hasan
Pacific Islands Applied Geosciences Commission (SOPAC)
Private Mail Bag, GPO
Suva, Fiji
Tel: +679-3381377
Fax: +679-3370040
email:
tasleem@sopac.org
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