April 11-15, 2003
Between April 11 and 15, the DART conducted an assessment of An Najaf, An Nasiriyah, Ar Refa'i, and Al Nasr. Although primary purpose of the assessment trip was to evaluate the security situation, water and sanitation facilities were visited and assessed by the DART's water and sanitation specialist. Time spent speaking to operators and managers was minimal, and the information provided in this report is only an overview of the community water system.
Overview
During the course of the assessment, the DART saw no evidence of a humanitarian crisis involving water and sanitation issues in the communities visited. However, there is the potential for a humanitarian crisis if main power supplies are not re-established in the near future due to the risk of water and sewage-related diseases. Rural communities are particularly at risk as they often do not have generators to power the water pumps. Every effort should be taken to reestablish the main power supply to the communities and support temporary power systems in smaller communities.
Water facilities in communities visited are dependent on the main power grid. The water facilities have been operating via on-site generators since the disruption of the main power supply on approximately March 20. Water Utility Managers expressed concern over limited access to diesel fuel and the overuse of these standby generators. During the assessment trip these concerns were supported by visual evidence of generator damage (from lack of maintenance, vandalism, and in some cases the war) and limited diesel in smaller communities. The generator problems and fuel shortages were observed in smaller communities that lack access to the resources available to larger communities such as Najaf and An Nasiriyah.
Local human resource capacity to manage and repair the water and sewer facilities appeared to be very strong. The utility staff included both engineering and technical experts. The condition of the water facilities is good considering the limited equipment and spare parts available to the utility managers over the past ten years.
Water treatment is limited to filtration and chlorination. Water pressure to homes is low and residents must use booster pumps to pump water to elevated holding tanks. With no electrical power to homes, water has not been stored. This has increased the risk of sanitation related-illnesses by limiting water for personal hygiene needs.
An Najaf
In An Najaf, population 400,000, the DART was only able to visit the Najaf Booster Station. Information of the station was provided to the DART by the station manager. The facility has 30 employees. The district water office, based in An Najaf, has 22 engineers. Most employees are reporting to work, even without pay as they are afraid that if they do not come to work now, they will loose their jobs when the facility is up and running. The facility obtained its treated water from the Zagreb Water Treatment Facility. Powered by backup generators, the facility currently provides water to An Najaf residents for three hours per day. The facility's 15 Water Tankers (eight 16,000 liter trucks and seven 8,000 liter trucks) have trucked water to areas of town since 30 March. The booster station provides no treatment, and no chlorine was detected in the water. The facility has 20 1000 m3/hr pump stations and is operating at approximately 40 percent capacity. Numerous pump stations lack pumps, but the overhead crane for pump removal is operational. The manager had no immediate needs but requested that every effort be made to reestablish power to the community. According to the manager, gas pressure in the pipeline from Basrah is too low for the generator to operate.
An Nasiriyah
In An Nasiriyah, population 360,000, the DART met with the water system workgroup. The staff for the water facilities serving the town is 30 engineers and 60 technical workers. The district staff totals 1,500. Water is produced at five plants, and the utility conducts tankering operations within its service area. The distribution system has serious leak problems resulting in low pressure throughout the system, which has been operating on backup generators six hours in the morning and four hours at night. The workgroup requested leak detection equipment and assistance locating leaks. The DART observed numerous leaks and open sewers while driving through An Nasiriyah.
The DART also visited the downtown water treatment plant, staffed by five operators. The facility's elevated tank contains numerous holes that appeared to have been made from large caliber weapons fire. The pipe to the tank has a crack approximately nine centimeters long that appears to have been a result of weapons fire. The roof of the facility has a hole apparently from a high explosive round. However, the DART observed no damaged equipment. The facility was filtering and chlorinating raw surface water at the time of the assessment. Gas chlorine was added to the water from an unsecured one-ton cylinder locate outside the facility. A free chlorine residual of less than 0.1 ppm was detected. However, no addition of coagulant was observed.
Ar Refa'i
The DART's primary contact for Ar Refa'i was a local schoolteacher, who acted as a translator. The schoolteacher estimated that the population was 35,000. The town has a total staff of three technicians, and the community is not connected to the main power grid. The main substation is reportedly damaged. The town receives power from backup generators for four hours in the morning and six hours at night. Filtered and chlorinated water is produced three hours per day, but no chlorine was detected in the water, although chlorine is available on site. No coagulants are added to the water. The DART observed open sewers throughout the community. Residents requested that action be taken to reconnect the community to the power grid.
Al Nasr
Al Nasr has three water treatment plants powered by backup generators. Two plants contain adequate fuel supplies for two weeks, but the third plant generator is out of fuel, which the community is attempting to obtain with assistance of local military personnel. Fuel prices have reportedly increased seven fold. During a rapid walk through the South Side Water Plant, the DART observed that the fuel tank was one third full. The facility treatment system consists of filtration and manual chlorination with calcium hyperchlorite. The backup 68 kilowatt (KW) generator is in very poor condition and able to operate only three hours per day before overheating. The facility utilizes two 45 KW/50 horsepower/200 cubic meter per hour pumps. Both pumps are leaking oil and need repair. The DART observed open sewers throughout the community. Residents requested assistance in acquiring fuel.
