Report on water quality assessment in Ha Tinh potx

1
REPORT
on
Water quality assessment and Recommendation on
treatment solutions, monitoring the water quality in Huong
Khe and Vu Quang Districts, Ha Tinh Province
Conducting Consultative group:
1) Doan The Loi, group leader
2) Dang Ngoc Hanh, group member
3) Tran Duc Anh, group member
HANOI: APRIL 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION, OBJECTIVE, TASKS, EXPECTED OUTCOMES AND
CONDUCTING METHOD 2
1.1. Introduction 2
1.2. Objective and Tasks of the Consultative Group 3
1.3. Expected Outcomes: 3
1.4. Conducting method: 4
II. OVERVIEW AND CURRENT SITUATION OF THE SURVEY AREA 6
2.1. Economic and Social situation 6
2.2. The current situation of water resources and usage of water for drinking and
daily activities 9
2.3. Organization of implementing the project (building wells, filter tanks and
latrines) 12
III. RESULTS OF THE ANALYSIS AND, EVALUATION OF WATER QUALITY
AND RECOMMEND ON APPROPRIATE SOLUTIONS 14
3.1. Evaluate water quality base on the results of analysis in the laboratory of
water samples 14
3.2. Propose some solutions to water treatment works 15
3.3. Recommendation on the specific solutions to treat and monitor the water
quality in the affected flood areas 18

IV. RECOMMENDATIONS ON DESIGNING AND BUILDING WELLS, FILTER
TANKS AND LATRINES 19
4.1 Latrine works 19
4.2. Wells and filter tank 20
4.3. Organization and implementation 20
V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 21
Annex 1: 22
General information about the water sample selected to analyse 22
a) Samples at Huong Khe district 22
b) Samples at Vu Quang district 23
I.At Huong Khe district 24
Annex 3: The result of water samples analysis 29
I. Huong Khe district 29
II. Vu Quang District 35
Annex 4: 44
I. Communes of Huong Khe district 44
II. The communes of Vu Quang District 45
Annex 5: 47
Questionnaire collecting the information about the evaluation of water quality in Huong
Khe and Vu Quang districts, Ha Tinh Province 47
A. General information 47
B: Detailed information about clean water and environmental sanitation 49
I. INTRODUCTION, OBJECTIVE, TASKS, EXPECTED OUTCOMES AND
CONDUCTING METHOD
1.1. Introduction
In early October 2010, the two consecutive severe floods (from 1
st
to 6
th
Oct and

from 14
th
-18
th
Oct) happened in the five provinces of the Central Vietnam including
Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue. Ha Tinh was the place
that suffered from the most serious damage, in which Huong Khe and Vu Quang, the
poor districts of Ha Tinh province, were damaged very seriously. Floods made the
people, who were already poor became poorer and influenced greatly their life, daily
activities and production.
According to the report of the project on relief and livelihood recovery after flood
in Ha Tinh province conducted by Oxfam, 15 communes of Vu Quang and Huong Khe
districts were selected by Oxfam for emergency relief and recovery after flood (7
communes of Huong Khe districts are Loc Yen, Huong Thuy, Hoa Hai, Phuc Dong, Ha
Linh, Phuong Dien and Phuong My and 8 communes of Vu Quang district are Vu Quang
town, Huong Minh, Huong Quang, Huong Tho, An Phu, Duc Linh, Duc Giang and Duc
Lien). To continue to carry out the activities supporting building latrines and wells as per
the approved plan, the consultative group conducted the survey, evaluated the quality of
the water resource, recommended the solutions to treat and monitor the quality of the
water for daily activities of 10 communes as per Oxfam’s recommendations.
Oxfam decided to support:
+ Huong Khe district: 120 wells; 120 latrines (for Ha Linh, Phuong Dien, Phuong
My and Loc Yen communes)
+ Vu Quang district: 150 wells và 150 sand filter tanks; 150 latrines (for Duc
Lien, Huong Tho, Duc Giang, Duc Linh and An Phu communes)
The households eligible for assistance haven’t had or already had wells, their
latrines were destroyed after the two floods and they are poor households and are usually
affected by floods. Among the activities for assistance, Oxfam appreciate the solutions
that maximize the usage of local labour and use materials at the localities and maximize
working to increase income for people.

To carry out the above activities well, to ensure scientific characteristics and in
accordance with the real situation of of locality, the consultative group is responsible for
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conducting the survey, evaluating and giving recommendations on the best solution to
reach the objective of the project. The tasks of the consultative group were stated in the
TOR and the outline for activities approved by Oxfam, specifically:
1.2. Objective and Tasks of the Consultative Group
Objective 1: Establish a baseline of water quality through analysis water samples
in 10 communes of Vu Quang and Huong Khe districts (list water samples in communes,
see Annex 1).
Objective 2: To recommend necessary interventions, including advocacy issues to
Oxfam and partners in order to improve water quality and monitor water quality in flood
affected areas.
To achive the above objective, the consultative group implemented the following
activities:
+ From March 13 to March 22, 2011, the consultative group conducted the survey
on the real situation of 10 communes of 2 districts.
- The consultative group worked with Oxfam’s project management board in Vu
Quang and Huong Khe districts to catch the general information and listen to the report
on the results of the implementation of the project, its advantages and disadvantages. The
group discussed the plan and selected the place for the survey.
- Conducted the survey to identify the information according to the outline
submitted to Oxfam.
- Selected the place to take the water sample; took the sample, made the sample
record (focusing on the places where there is problem with water source as per people’s
reflection). Considered, evaluated the quality of the treatment constructions that are
currently applied in localities, people’s experience in water treatment and people’s
preparedpareness and prevention against floods.
1.3. Expected Outcomes:
According to the TOR and the research outline, the consultative group achieved

the following main results:
Result 1: The report on analysis of the water quality test of 05 communes of
Huong Khe and 05 commune of Vu Quang.
Result 2: Evaluate designing dug wells, latrines and recommend necessary
solutions to help Oxfam’s management board in two districts to implement projects
efficiently.
Result 3 : On the basis of the result of sample analysis, recommend the specific
solutions to treat and monitor the water quality in the affected flood areas.
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Result 4: Training on community supervision. Guide for managment, reparing the
dug wells and solutions to cope with during flood happening.
1.4. Conducting method:
The methods used during the research include:
- Statistics, collecting the available documents,
- Group discussion,
- Participation of community,
- Surveying, measuring, evaluating, taking the photos of the scene,
- Analysing quality,
- Comparison, evaluation, measuring, designing.
The methods of implementation are described in the logical research framework as
follow:
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The logical research framework:
Evaluating the well samples and water treatment designing of consultative unit
designed for Oxfam, suggest the solutions to adjust/ fix and add (if any any)
Deal with data, recomment and give tecnical design treatment structure, works,
develop training material etc, reporting and the training at two districts
Group discussion
with the
participation from

community,
specialists, local
authorities
(including staff,
local technical
staff of districts)
and Oxfam’s
representative to
define issues
- The water sources used, preliminary information
about the water sources, define the main water sources
- Local information about water treatment and using
custom
- The sign of some diseases that can be caused by using
the unhygienic water etc
Information about exploiting works, treatment works
which are good, not good, which are destroyed in flood
etc
- Observe, evaluate preliminarily the ability of the water
souce and water quality by the indirect indicators
Participatory
survey method to
measure, observe,
take photos etc to
have field
evaluation,
understand
information and
experience of
people

- Surveying, evaluating and defining the typilcal of water
exploiting works (drilled wells, dug wells) for all good , not
good and structures that can easily be destroyed by flood,
experience works of local people to prevent by flood etc
- Surveing, evaluating water treatment works built by people
themselves using sand filter (techinical, diagram, materials
used, maintaining and effecttive of treatment)
- Design sample program, define water samples record
including: position, characteristics of water source, the
ability to provide etc, evaluate preliminarily the quality etc
Analysis method
- Get samples, measuring field indicators
- Maintain as regulated
- Analyse the indicators about water quality in the
laboratory, prepare results in the table.
- Evaluate the quality, predict the negative effects
caused by using the current water source, usage warning
etc
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II. OVERVIEW AND CURRENT SITUATION OF THE SURVEY AREA
2.1. Economic and Social situation
a) Natural, economic and social conditions of the project area:
+ Huong Khe district: Huong Khe is a mountainous district of Ha Tinh, it borders
Laos in the west, Quang Binh in the south, Can Xuyen and Thach Ha districts in the East,
Vu Quang and Can Loc districts in the North. It has a moutainous terrain, Rao Co
moutain is highest (2,235 metres). Ngan Tuoi river flows through the area into Ngan Sau
river. Its total natural area is 1,278.09 km² with a population of 107,996 people (January,
2009) including Tho, Thai, Kinh, Chut people, but the majority is Kinh people. Huong
Khe has more than 22 affiliated administrative units. Agricutural is the main livelihood of
the people in the district. The farm land is little, infrastructure hasn’s been developed, the

living standard of most housholds is still low, the rate of poor household is still high.
Vu Quang district: Vu Quang is a moutainous district of Ha Tinh, it is 70
kilomitres far away from Ha Tinh, 70 kilometers from Hanoi in the West, it has a 42-
kilometer border with Laos, has a moutainous terrain and especially has the Vu Quang
national garden. Vu Quang district has the natural area of 62,284 ha with a population of
35,877 people (January, 2009); it has 12 affiliated administrative units that are the Vu
Quang town and provinces Duc Lien, Duc Huong, Duc Bong, Duc Linh, Duc Giang, An
Phu, Huong Tho, Huong Minh, Huong Dien, Huong Quang and Son Tho. Its farm land is
little, infrastructure hasn’s been developed, the living standard of most housholds is still
low, the rate of poor household is still high.
The communes that are sopported by Oxfam are poor communes of the district, the
rate of poor households is very high (55.38% in Huong Khe district and 50.27% in Vu
Quang district). People’s life mainly depends on agricultural production while the land is
little, in Huong Khe, the land for each household on average is only 0.34 ha per
household and 0.29 ha per household in Vu Quang. The land is little, and is mainly
cropland, the rate of cultivated land for a rice crop is very low (Huong Khe: 43% and Vu
Quang: 49%). During the year, there is only one certain cultivated crop (spring crop), the
seasonal crop is very uncertain because of the annual flood. The annual floods have
caused many dificulties for farmers such as poor crop, lack of food, diseases etc (see
Table 1).
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Table 1: The area of agricultural land and the rate of poor households
No Commune No. of
household
Populatio
n
The rate
of poor
Agricultural area (ha)
Total One-crop

paddy
I Huong Khe
District 5440 23.356 1866 812
1 Phuong My 638 3218 58,0% 489 196
2 Phuong Dien 510 2236 56,0% 330 116
3 Ha Linh 1566 6700 50,0% 560 200
4 Loc Yen 1541 6280 58,4% 487 70 (two-crop
paddy)
5 Duc Bong 1185 4922 54,5% - 230
II Vu Quang
District 4190 15753 1239 608
Duc Lien 612 2700 50,03% 240 132
Duc Linh 1506 5584 48,60% 485 214
Huong Tho 715 2750 51,27% 170 105
An Phu 512 2019 50,00% 154 87
Duc Giang 845 2700 51,30% 190 70
b) Disaster, flood:
The communes that have been supported by the project are all in the lowland, and
are very close to the river bank, therefore, they are easily to be submerged by flood. Flood
often starts in july and ends in october, and sometimes lasts till early november. On
average, each year there are 2-3 flood phases, the duration of flood submergence for each
phase is often 4-7 days. In the years when there are big floods, historical floods (eg 2007,
2010) that appear every 10-15 years, each time the flood lasts from 5 to 7 days, and there
is time it lasts about 10 to 15 days.
c) Flood’s impact
The floods that come annually have caused great destruction for people in the
communes. When floods come, that mostly the agricultural cultivated land is submerged
from 3 to 5 days, which has caused great destruction for production, especially in the
years when floods come early and destroy crop, especially farm crop of seasonal crop,
there are even the years when great may-rain floods caused great impact on agricultural

production. When there is flood at the main crop time, there is usually 34-45 % of the
households in the commune is submerged (water submerges floor), if great flood comes,
there is 70-80% of the household is submerged, in Phuong Dien, Loc Yen, Ha Linh
communes, in the flood in year 2010, there is even 90-95% of the houses was submerged.
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That flood destroys people’s property and farm crop influences directly production
and people’s life, influences community health and ecological environment such as: poor
crop, houses and furniture swept away; the outbreak of epidemic diseases, polluted
environment; destroyed infrastructure etc. For having been living with floods for many
recent years, people as well as local authorities have been active carrying out very well
the preparedness against flood, contributing to minimize the destruction caused by flood.
All communes developed the plans for preparedness against flood very early (finished by
April). Their plans have mentioned the situations that can happen and the responding
solutions such as evacuating and gathering people to some places etc. Moreover, people’s
sprit to respond to flood is very good. Before the flood season, they had prepared well the
necessary tools for their families such as boats, canoes; evacuating buffalos, cows and
cattles (send them to the households who live in higher area) before 1 to 3 days since the
flood forecast etc. Therefore, the impacts of flood are also limited, especially there is little
loss of humans.
d) Flood prevention at localities
Authorities at all levels are interest very mach on flood prevention and disasters;
local organizations such as farmers association, women association, veterans association
coordinate with local authorities to develop the plans for preparedness against flood. This
has attracted the participation of most members who are the key officers as well as the
local organizations. Through the survey at 10 communes of the flood area, the
consultative group evaluate that the preparedness against flood is carried out very
seriously and effectively, specially:
- The plans for flood prevention and disaster are all developed by April annually.
Meetings to generalize and carry out those plans are held in hamlets, residential areas and
all households know about them.

- The plans are prepared quite detailed and fully the situations when flood
happening such as:
+ Design the places to assemble people to evacuate them (when necessary), the
necessary conditions for daily activities when flood comes.
+ The plans about information and contacting, boats for the guiding board (usually
at the office of the people’s committee).
+ Assign tasks for each hamlet, especially interchanging and integrating
households living in the low and higher places to ensure the high community character
when flood comes.
+ Arrange and assign the responsibility for evacuating people and poverty of each
area for each specific key officer of hamlets and organizations.
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+ Plans for carrying out the common sanitation work, repairing and restoring the
public works such as channels, rural roads after flood.
To each household, strictly follow the plans for preparedness against flood of the
commune, at the same time develop the plan for its own family such as:
+ Prepare boats and canoes or rafts to use on emergency.
+ Prepare for the plan to move furniture to a higher place and evacuate buffalos,
cows, pigs and chickens etc to a safe place when there is the flood announcement of the
commune (in year 2010 for the flood was too great and came so quickly, people couldn’t
respond timely).
All the households knew to take the highest flood level of the great floods or
historical floods to make the guard larder to protect property (eg year 2007, 2010). After
the historical flood in year 2010, many households increase the height of the guard larder
to prevent the floods of the next years.
2.2. The current situation of water resources and usage of water for drinking and
daily activities
a) The current situation of water resources:
The main water resource used for eating, drinking and daily use of the communes
in the project area is from the underground. The underground water is exploited and used

by households through dug or drill wells and using directly for drinking, eating and daily
use. On the basis of the real survey result and people’s feedback, it is evaluated in general
that the background water resource of the project is good, its reserves is
quite plentiful and can meet the demand of eating, drinking and daily use of people in the
area.
Most dug wells are normanlly from 7-10 meters in depth; therefore, some area is
often not enough water to use in dry season, especially in the years when there is great
drought. The current tendency is that people use drilled wells of 20-25 meters in depth,
some drill wells of 30-45 meters in depth. However, water from drill wells are normanlly
have proplem with iron contamination.
b) The current situation of the quality of water used for eating, drinking and daily
activities:
According to the general comments and evaluation of the communes’ officers,
socio-organizations and local people, the quality of the water resource of the communes
in the project area is basically good and can be used for eating, drinking and for daily
activities. The characteristics to know if the quality of the water resource is good or bad,
according to the experience of people, is that the water is considered pure and odorless
when it is pumped out, people used for make tea it will be green and keep specifics
flavour tea. The water samples from these wells often meet the requirements indicators
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about sanitation of the Ministry of Health after analysis. Except for some dug wells that
meet the springs that are not good and have the signal of pollution (popular with drilled
wells of above 20 meters in depth) such as the water has the stinking smell, water scums
and water makes dregs after pumping. If the water source is contaminated with iron or
dissolved iron it will have the deep red color and it will not have the flavour of the green
tea when it is heated up to make green tea. However, these signs of pollution will not
cause great influence on people’s health and it only needs the normal treatment and then
can be be used such as sun exposure and being filtered through the sand filter tank etc. At
present, households have applied the treatment method such as using the sand filter tank
etc, however, for their techniques are not correct, the water treatment process hasn’t

brought about good results (photo 1 and 2, Annex 5).
Although the quality of the water source is good, the local people’s living customs
partly influence the sanitation of the water source such as the water tank doesn’t have its
cover and this causes the water to be easily contaminated or the water tank would be the
place for mosquitoes to breed in (Photo 2 Annex 5) or many households often make the
stables to raise buffalos or cows in front of the house, near the kitchen or their wells, and
this is not a good custom that can make the water source polluted. There are the
households, their wells located only 3-5 meters far away from the stables of buffalos and
this can cause the high risk of microbiological infection.
c) Description, evaluation and prediction of the ability to be influenced by the
pollutants when flood comes and solutions on water source and environmental sanitation
in case of emergency:
Living in frequently affected flood area, local people often prepare the tool to store
water in case of flood. Except when there are great and long floods, and running out of
the stored water source, the households often get the water from the ravines and springs
in the mountain or from the upper households (these households’ wells are not
submerged). These are the experience in living with floods of the local people to have
clean water in flood season (excluding the households that do not have means or floods
are too great, water current is too strong and therefore, boats or rafts cannot be used).
Thus, it is little likely that the contaminated water can be used when flood comes. This is
also an issue of consideration on implementing relief activities.
In general, after floods, submerged wells are often contaminated because the flood
water flows into, although, local people is often have conscious to protect their wells but
many is not effecttive because wrong material used. After immediately flood, people are
often have to wait for wells to be cleaned, and have to wait for infection treatment to be
conducted and just can reuse the wells after that. In the period after flood, the demand for
water for daily activities is very high to clean the environment and houses. If we guide
and popularize the suitable measures to prevent wells from getting contaminated when
they are submerged by flood, after flood receded, people will have water to use
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immediately and don’t have to wait for wells to be cleaned. For example, when the heavy
rain has the risk to cause flood, it is only needed to catch the rain water to the well to full
or as much as possible, after that put the cover tightly on top of the wells, when the flood
overflows, the flood water with contaminated cannot flow into the wells. Thus, people
can use the wells immediately after the flood recedes. The well with guidle protection
about will reduce the most oppotunity contaminated by flood water, so people can used
for many activities for learning, event used for drinking but must be boiled before used.
After flood, if it is found out that the water in the wells are turbid for flood
overflows the wells, before using that water, it is compulsary to pump water up to the
containing tank (most households have the water tank with the volume of about 0.5m
3)
to
decant the water and to have treant ment by Cloramin B according to the guidelines of the
local health sector. The households that have the low sand filter tanks shoul used for
tretment before multies using.
d) About the latrine works: Most households in the commune have their own
latrines, but most are temporary and do not meet the criteria about sanitation, except for
some rich households or those households that had been supported by Diana organization
to build two-compartment latrines whose latrines are quite good. Through flood phases,
people have good evaluation about the two-compartment latrine style and find them very
suitable with the flood area. When flood comes, use soil to cover of the toilet then the
excrement will not be washed away. This design sample had been applied by Diana
organization when they support to build latrines. Through the past flood phase, basically,
the latrines could ensure hygiene and were quite sustainable, were hardly damaged. It is
hoped that each house will be supported to have a two-compartment latrine. However, to
ensure the stability of the latrine, it is needed to add the foundation structure (photo 5,
annex 5).
After flood phases, women, youth organizations etc participate in cleaning houses,
roads and environmental sanitation with high responsibility, this a a good tradition that
need to be promoted.

e) The current situation of the wells that are being used
- Dug well has the diameter of 0.7-1.2 metres; its curb is casted by concrete tubes,
except for the wells that were dug tens years before (about 10-15 years), the wells are
often the dug wells (not concrete), the part of the well that is near the ground and above is
built by bricks in about 1 metre. However, through many times being submerged by
flood, wells still exist for these tens years, very little wells are collapsed and swept away
because of the sand flow and swirl. The survey on the dug wells in the area shows that the
geology of the are is quite good, those wells that were dug 7-8 metres in depth are still
maintained until present without curbs. The households that dig wells later often use the
water well ring to make the curb to ensure the hygiene of the water source and prevent the
surface water from absorbing into wells. According to people’s experience, wells are
11
often dug in the dry season because the ground then is hard and therefore is more stable,
and if there is adequate water in the wells at the dry season, it is sure that there will be
enough water to use for all of year.
- Drilled well: In recent years, some households have used drilled wells. The
drilled wells are often drilled by the well-drilling-workers because they have means and
experience. Moreover, they have experience in finding out the underground water source.
However, the drilled wells have more probability to meet the chalybeate water.
f) About the water treatment works: Most households have quite good water
source. They use the water immediately after pumping, therefore, they do not need the
water treatment works. Normally water is pumped into the containing tank, and then it is
used for cooking and daily activities. Except for some chalybeate wells that are stinking,
turbid or wells with water that after pumping has scum, turns to yellow color…., people
will do the water treatment before using. The popular method at present is using the sand
filter tank and exposing under the sun before using. People often follow the custom on
making the sand filter tank which is mostly technically incorrect and therefore, the quality
of the water treatment is not good.
During the survey process, the consultative group noticed that the households of
Ms Hang, Mr Thanh (hamlet 8, Ha Linh commne, telephone 0393874402) built the filter

tank quite well, although the water is chalybeate, the water treatment was very good.
(Photo 8, Annex 5). When we asked them about the way they built the water tank, they
answered that they learned the water treatment method through newspaper. If the filter
tanks are built in a technically correct way, people can do the water treatment with the
surface water and the flood water left in the wells to use without having waiting for doing
the cleaning work. If there are guidelines about the techniques to filter water, the
effectiveness and the ability to apply them into reality are very high because most people
very much care about the quality of the water for daily use. (Photo 1, 2, Annex 5).
Moreover, with the normal filtering method (sand filtering), the materials used for
filtering such as sand and gravels are very much available in locality, people can take
them directly from rivers and springs to use.
2.3. Organization of implementing the project (building wells, filter tanks and
latrines)
a) The Oxfam project management board at district
The Oxfam project management board at district carried out project work as
follow:
- Held meetings with communal leaders, communal relief board to popularize the
criteria of selecting the households that get support this time. Held meeting with people to
have public selection as agreed.
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- Developed the record of the design and the estimated budget for building latrines
and wells.
- Discussed and decided the plans for building latrines and wells.
In general, the households that received support are the right targeted ones, and
therefore, there is no complaint. The selection of the contractor to build latrines and to
drill wells ensure the right progress and the technical requirements are suitable. The
assigning households to organize digging wells by themselves is reasonable to ensure the
right progress. When the works are completed and ensure the good quality, the project
management at district will directly inspect and pay.
b) Communal, hamlet authorities and Communal Relief Board

The Communal Relief Board is usually guided directly by chairperson or vice-
chairperson with the participation of social organizations such as Women Union,
Veterans Association etc The members of the board participate enthusiastically in such
activities of the board as:
- Defined objects on the basis of poverty and loss caused by flood criteria.
Publicized the support rate ( wells: about 2 million VND per well; latrines: 4 million
VND per latrine, filter tanks: 1 million VND per tank)
- Assigned the number of works for hamlets on the basis of the rate of poor
households in the hamlet.
- Households registered their needed works (wells, filter tanks or latrines). The
communal relief board cooperated with leaders, unions and hamlets to hold meetings and
lot to define the list of households that needed support with each kind of works
(excluding those households that had been supported by Danida organization)
- Households write the commitment to cooperate and assign the counterpart fund
to finish the works, especially the drilled wells. However, with difficult households, old
and weak households, although they already committed, the feasibility is not high
beacause they do not have money.
c) Some arising issues that need consideration:
- Although the households are very happy with the support of Oxfam, they think
that the support rate is not very reasonable with different works. For example, the support
rate for latrines (US $ 200, about 4.2 million VND) is quite enough to build the latrines
and the beneficiary households do not need to fund more; but with the support rate (US$
100, about 2.1 million VND) for wells, the beneficiary households need to fund quite a
lot of money. The households shared that to complete a dirlled well with the depth of 25-
30 metres and price of 3.5 million VND, the household needed to fund 1.5 million VND
more. To complete a dug well (must hire the well-digging-worker) as per the design with
the depth of 15-20 metres, it costs about 5-7 million VND per well, then the funding rate
13
is even higher. This funding rate, to poor households in this period ( in the food insecure
season) is hardest for the poor and weak households and the households of small size. It

may be better if the support rate is revised in the direction of balancing the rate for latrine
and well (US$ 150 per works on average).
During the process of considering and selecting the households to get support, the
communal management board stills considers the selection and vote of people (as per the
district’s criteria) but hasn’t considered deeply each household’s situation, their
advantages, difficulties and their specific aspriations. Thus, there are still unreasonable
cases. For example, the household of Mr Nguyen Dinh Chinh
1
hamlet 9 – Ha Linh,
already had a well but is still in the household that get support to build well or while
household hasn’t had a filter tank yet or the household of Ms Phan Thi Hong, hamlet 8 –
Ha Linh is in the lowland area and is now may be in the list of the household who is
under other resettled projects to move to the uper land.
III. RESULTS OF THE ANALYSIS AND, EVALUATION OF WATER
QUALITY AND RECOMMEND ON APPROPRIATE SOLUTIONS
3.1. Evaluate water quality base on the results of analysis in the laboratory of
water samples
a) Evaluation method: Evaluate the water quality of water samples base on results
in the laboratory test conducted by the Preventive Medical Center, Ha Tinh Province
(folow to quality indicators of the Ministry of Health) and on obsevation water used for
eating, drinking and daily activities.
b) The general evaluation on the water quality of communes of the project:
According to the results of the analysis of water samples and the reality of the
survey and inspection at communes, we have the following evaluation:
1) In general, the quality of the water source used currently is good, ensures the
hygiene requirements to be used for eating, drinking and daily activities.
2) Quatity of water sources is enought for used, except for years when there are
serious droughts, the low dug wells lack of water.
3) Some water samples haven’t met the quality requirement. The indicators that
haven’t met the requirements are mainly iron cotamination, turbidity, pH; in places where

water is highly iron cotamination (water color turns into yellow very clearly and makes
the curb yellow etc). However, this pollution rate is not serious, people only need to use
the common water treatment methods and then can use the water. For example, if the
water is continue to be turbid, or highly iron, people can treatment by sand filter tank
1
This household, at present already had a well of 12 meter depth, the curb is built with brick from -1 to +0.7. The
family intends to use the fund to dig 3 metres more and put the water well ring. According to experience, the well is
being used well in the next 5 or 10 years. However, the household hasn’t got the filter tank. It would be better if the
filter tank is built.
14
(filter slowly). And people need to specially pay attention to the width of sand to make it
suitable with each well. Through the inspection in reality, together with the experience in
water treatment, the width of the materials used for filter is normally about 50-70
centimetres which meets the criterion (gravel 10-20 centimetres; sand 40-50 centimetres).
5) Among the water samples analyzed, there is one sample which is of
microbiological infection. The reason is that the well is dug near the cow stable (the well
is 3 metres far from the cow stable). This is the issue that we need to notice on guiding
people to select the position to dig wells and to manage and maintain wells during using
them. People absolutely should not place the wells near contaminated, dirty and low
places such as cattle stables, places where there are stagnant water etc which can make
the wells’ water source contaminated. On finding out that the water is of microbiological
infection, that water must be boiled before drinking (For more detail, see Annex 1).
3.2. Propose some solutions to water treatment works
On the basis of the survey results and the results of the analysis of some water
samples of the communes of Huong Khe and Vu Quang districts and on the basis of the
experience gained through reality in water treatment in Vietnam, the consultative group
suggest some water treatment methods for contaminated water as follow:
a) Slow filter method:
This method is applied for the households whose water source is treated iron,
stinking and has the yellow scum and the water is turbid, please see the structure of the

filter tank (see Figure 1). The filter system includes 2 parts, the filter tank and the storage
tank. Those wells which are stinking need to be treated with this method.
+ The filter tank is a concrete tube with the diameter of 50-60 centimetres. Inside
the tube is the material layers including: first layer is small gravel layer with the width of
10-15 centimetres, the above layer is the sand layer, with the width of 45-65 centimeters,
according to the water quality after filter, people can increase or reduce the width of the
sand layer to make it suitable. The sand taken from Ngan Sau river needs to be filtered to
remove the impurities before using. People can also arrange a activated charcoal layer
between the sand layer and the gravel layer of 10-15 centimetres in width if possible. The
gravels taken from rivers and springs are cleaned and people need to remove the
impurities from the gravels before putting them into the filter tank. To households whose
water is highly iron, when people put the water into the tank, they should arrange for the
water to flow through the shower to increase the speed of irom oxidizing process as in the
Figure 2.
15
Figure 1 The slow fiter diagram applied in Vu Quang district
Figure 2.
16

+ The storage tank is used to contain water after filtering. The storage tank is
casted by concrete as in the photo 9 annex 5.
The households that already had the filter tanks but the tanks were not built in a
technically correct way can use this structure and adapt their tanks.
b) The quick filter method:
In the flood season, when the wells and the filter tanks are submerged but people
cannot access other clean sources, we can apply some simple water filter methods as
follow to have the water to use.
 Filter by buckets, basins:
+ Prepare tools:
- Plastic or iron buckets.

-Water cock (plastic water cock or self-made bamboo tube).
- Sand, gravels
+ Method:
- Carve a hole near the bucket bottom to fit a water cock.
- Fasten the water cock, if it is the bamboo cock, we can use the clay to seal
tightly.
- Pour a gravel layer with the diameter of 5-10 mm, 25-5 cm in width on the
bottom of the bucket, after that continue to pour the sand layer with the diameter
of 0.15 – 0.35mm and 15-20 cm in width on the gravel layer.
17
+ Usage:
- Pour the water into the bucket which already contains the filter materials as in the
Figure to flow through the cock and get the water to use.
- When the water running out of the water cock is pure water, we can use it for
daily activities.
- If the water running out of the cock is not pure then we need to filter it again.
This method is used in case of emergency such as during flood and after flood when
the slow filter works of household hasn’t been restored yet.
 Filter by filter bottom
+ Materials to make the filter bottle
- Plastic bucket or bucket with optional capacity.
- Mineral water bottom jacket (PET plastic jacket
bottom).
- Cotton or cotton net.
- Charcoal or coconut shell charcoal (active coal (ie
activated carbon) is best)
- Chemicals : PAC coagulant, clorine disinfectant.
+ Make the filter bottle:
- Use the plastic mineral water bottle (bottle of
500ml) and cut its bottom.

- Carve the bottle cap to put a plastic tube in so that
the water can run out.
- Put the filter materias as in the figure.
3.3. Recommendation on the specific solutions to treat and monitor the water
quality in the affected flood areas
1. Water needs to be checked carefully before using. Based on experience, water is
considered to be clean when it is odourless and has no smell and flavour, when it is pure
Materials
1-Containing bucket .
2- Sand filter layer.
3- Gravel filter layer.
4- Water cock (made by
bamboo or cane).
5- Basin to contain the filtered
water
18
and not turbid, without any strange impurities, without microbe and substances that cause
diseases . Water sources which have yellow colour and are turbid after pumping need
treatment before using such as sand filter (as per direction). Water must be boiled before
drinking.
2. During flood happening, it is necessary to stop tightly the wells to prevent the
contaminated water source from flowing into them. Each household should prepare the
cover to stop the wells by canvas, with the rope or rubber string to pull (do not use the
waterproof fabric, ninon beacause they are easily burt when water seep into the wells for
air cannot escape).
3. To prevent the contaminated water from flowing into wells, people should
catche the rain water in to the wells as much as possible (from the roofs, or make the
canvas to contain rain water, except for the roof is covered by procement) and then stop
cover tightly the wells. This method is very simple and efficient to do.
To the drilled wells, the part of the plastic tubes on the ground need to be stopped

tighly and need to have the guide piles around to prevent the floating things from hitting
and breaking them.
4. The water filter tanks need to have the cover. In the postitions where there are
possibly strong flow and swirl, it is necessary to fix and be fastened in order to prevent
them from the flood flowing.
5. The households need to prepare means and tools before the flood season to
prevente of flood, for exmaple:
- Prepare tools to store water such as can, buckets, basins etc, and the tools to catch
the rain water for eating, drinking and for living activities during the flood.
- Prepare materials to do the water treatment such as buckets, basins, alum,
disinfectant, cover and filter tanks etc.
6. After floods, it is needed to have wells treatment based on the guidance of the
health sector. The bestest, each family should build a filter tank as recommendation about
to ensure that enough clearn water for used, specialy immediately after flooding.
IV. RECOMMENDATIONS ON DESIGNING AND BUILDING WELLS, FILTER
TANKS AND LATRINES
4.1 Latrine works
- The design sample that the district’s project management board proposed
basically meets the technical requirements. However, the foundation structure is not
suitable for there is no foundation, therefore, the sample can be easily swept away or
collapsed caused by floods. It is recommended to add the foundation structure. The
consultative group already suggested revising the design and the project management
board already listened to the recommendation and revised the design;
19
- The place to build/ the design of the works needs to ensure environmental
sanitation as well as create favorable conditions, and needs to be easily accessible for
people who use it, especially women, children and old people;
- To ensure the good quality for the construction works, it is needed to mobilize
the participation of the community by conducting the training that helps them know about
the structure, types of materials such as cement, brick, sand and stone etc. The

consultative group complied the guiding material about monitoring community and the
group also integrated the training on monitoring community into the workshop to
popularize the results of the research on water source. This method/monitoring material
should be applied more widely in the project area;
- Because of the limited time for building, the building of the works need to be
carried out simultaneously at all the targeted communes;
- Enhance the role of the commune’s relief board to and enhance the coordination
of Oxfam staff in inspecting, guiding the quality monitoring and inspecting with the
households that benefit directly and contractors.
4.2. Wells and filter tank
- Need to select a suitable position to dig the well, do not dig the well near the
polluted sources such as the stables and ranches to raise cattle, stagnant area etc.
- In order to avoid the contaminated water to seep into the well, its base shoud be
concrete.
- To the dug wells, it is needed to check the leakage of the wells’ tubes annually.
- To the filter tank, after sharing comments with the Oxfam project management
board of Vu Quang district, the design of the tank has been adapted, but the budget for
building each filter tanks is not changed (see Figure 1 & 2 and the illustrating photos at
the end of this report).
4.3. Organization and implementation
- With the households that dig the wells by themselves, it is necessary to warn
them about the cycle and the digging method to ensure safety during the digging process,
especially for those households that reform, fix etc to prevent land slide that endangers
the life of the person who dig the well.
- For some households that are too poor and cannot contribute to the fees,
commune’s authorities or organizations need to find the way to help them such as giving
amortized loans etc
20
V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
- The consultative group has completed and meeted all the contents stated in the

TOR and the outline for implementation that approved by Oxfam.
- The report met all the expected outcomes. The research results derived from the
survey, water sample analysis, from reality and highly scientific experience. All the
recommendations of the consultative group are supported by many local authotities, socio
organizations and people.
- The consultative group’s report has been very useful for the project management
board of district and communal relief board to carry out and implement well the contents
of the project. It also helps the constructions supported by Oxfam bring about the results
that are good, practical and beneficial for poor people and suitable with people’s living
characteristics. The result of the implementation of the project is a good model to
multiply for other households (apart from the households that are supported) and other
hamlets and communes in the district.
Recommendations: It is recommended that Oxfam enhance the inspecting and
monitoring activities to get the project completed with the right progress.
The project management board of the district considers solutions to support the
households that are too poor and cannot contribute more to the fees for building
construction (wells).
The consultative group would like to thank Oxfam’s staff, project management
boards of districts, authorities, social organizations and people of the communes in the
project area for your the cooperation and coordination with high responsibilities, your
support and providing us with information during the time we conducted our tasks.
On the behalf of the consultative group
Doan The Loi
21
Annex 1:
General information about the water sample selected to analyse
a) Samples at Huong Khe district
No Code Name of
household
Hamlet Commune Note

1 4 Ho Duc
Ngoc
My
Trung
Phuong
My
Representative for most dug wells, after the
night there is scum on well’s surface and a
little stinking smell
2 11 Pham Van
Bay
Hamlet
1
Phuong
Dien
Representative for dug wells of hamlets
1,2,3, water after pumping turn into yellow
color, has scums on the surface, the quality
is not good according to organoleptic
evaluation
3 12 Le Van
Hai
Hamlet
10
Phuong
Dien
Representative for water of wells under the
hill base, low, crossing water vein, water is
turbid when rains hppend, the water level is
near the ground surface, the water looks a

lillte bit turbid when getting the water
sample
4 13 Nguyen
Van Thanh
Hamlet
8
Ha Linh The water of drilled water after filtering
through sand, coal and gravels (60-70cm
thick). Befor treatment, water is yellow,
stinking, and cannot be used immediately .
After filtering, the family evaluate that the
quality of the water is very good.
5 14 Nguyen
Van Kinh
Tan
Dinh
Loc Yen Representative for dug wells which are 8-
13m deep and are now being used for
eating and drinking.
6 15 Common
wells for
using
Hamlet
1
Phuc
Dong
Representative for wells near cultivated
rice field (without curb, and is easily
contaminated by the outside, especially
buffalos and cows walking on the road near

by). In dry season, there are about 30
households using this well for eating,
drinking and daily use
7 01 Nguyen
Tuan Hue
Hamlet
2
Phuc
Dong
Representative for the popular dug wells
which are being used in the commune with
the depth of 8-14m
22
b) Samples at Vu Quang district
No Code Name of
household
Hamlet Commune Note
1 2 Nguyen The
Ky
Hoi
Trung
Duc Lien Representative for most drilled wells, dug
wells, water has scums after being pumped
and water’s smell is a little bit stinking
2 3 Phan duc
Toan
Lien
Hoa
Duc Lien Water from drilled wells, dug wells, have
the sign of scums and a little bit stinking

smell after filter without technically , with
5 minutes treatment duration, the depth of
the sand and gravels filter layer is 30cm.
3 5 Nguyen Van
Buong
Hamlet
10
Huong
Tho
Representative for the water of dug wells
that are near cattle stables, but according to
direct evaluation, the quality of water is to
seem good with chemical contamination
4 6 Tran Dinh
Dan
Hamlet
11
Huong
Tho
Water from the well is filtered through the
sand and gravels layer of 30cm without
technically, and by observation water
quality is also improved
5 7 Nguyen Thi
Que
Hamlet
2
An Phu Representative for the dug well of 8-12 m
in depth (popular in hamlets 1,2,3). The
water is a little bit turbid, not good.

6 8 Nguyen Thi
Que
Hamlet
2
An Phu Water from dug wells has the stinking
smell and was filtered (sand, gravel, coal
30cm)
7 9 Tran Thanh
Phuc
Hamlet
2
An Phu Representative for water of contaminated
drilled wells and was doesn’t have water
treatment yet.
8 10 Ngan Sau
river
Hamlet
2
Duc Giang Representatuve for surface water source
and river, spring source
23
Annex 2:
The table synthetising the results of the analysis and evaluation of the quality of
water samples
I. At Huong Khe district
No
Name of
household/hamlet/
water source
Quality of water

Affections if water
used
directly
Recommendation
on treatment
method (especially
after flood)
1
Mr.Ho Duc Ngoc,
My Trung hamlet
Phuong My
commune: dug well.
Its water had scums
and slightly stinky
smell (this water
sample outnumbers
in this area)
-16/18 indicators
met the
standard (passed)
-2/18 did not
(failed), however
they are all easy
to treatment.
The failed
indicators are little
affect human's
health, when water
used to cook, it
tends to lose the

flavour of food
such as the smell
of tea.
- People should
clarifier and
expose water to the
sun before using
- The best solution
is that people
should filter water
through slow filter
tank (as recommen
-ded by onsultants)
before using
2
Mr. Pham Van Bay,
Hamlet 1,
Phuong dien
Commune: dug
wells. Its water
turned yellow after
being pumped up,
had
scums on the surface
-16/18 indicators
passed.
- 2/18 (iron
contamination and
flavour) failed,
but easy to

treatment.
- 2
microbiological
inticators passed
but the contents
are still high.
The failed indictor
are little
affect human's
health; when water
used to cook, it
tends to lose the
flavour of food
such as the smell
of tea.
- The water should
be filtered through
slow filter tank
(as recommended
by consultants)
before using
- Should be
sterilized by
Cloramin B or
boiled before
drinking
3 Le Van Hai,
Hamlet10, Phuong
Dien commune.
Natural wells water

at the foothills - low,
cross aquifer;the
stream gets muddy
its level rises high up
- 17/18 indicators
passed.
- 1/18 (color)
failed, but easily
treated.
Microorganism is
found.
The failed is not
affect to human's
health. However it
makes users feel
insecured.
- The Water should
be filtered through
slow filter tank (as
recommended
by consultants)
before using.
- Should be boiled
before drinking.
24