WET News

TECHKNOW • Qualitative data was collected using survey forms loaded onto smartphones • GPS coordinates were recorded for each village and water point survey completed • The village data has been uploaded to Open Street Map, with the help of MSF's dedicated GIS unit • A project plan was created to trial the use of stainless steel pumps parts NEED TO KNOW 1 Chad, a largely semi-desert country, is Africa's fifth largest and home to more than 11.5 million people 2 More than 60% of the boreholes were not protected, meaning that the water was at a high risk of contamination 3 More than 70% of villages had access to a borehole fitted with a hand-pump THE VERDICT "Working for weeks on end in 48 degrees (where opening a car window makes you feel like you are in a convection oven) can be difficult. As can having your meticulous project plans scuppered by an early rainy season resulting in key access tracks being cut off by the sudden arrival of rivers in the middle of the desert" Jo Read OCTOBER 2016 WET NEWS 11 regions was highly saline and corroding the mild steel pump parts more quickly than the villages could afford to undertake repairs • More than 60% of the boreholes were not protected, meaning that the water was at a high risk of contamination. At the same time, we found a low level of local knowledge on the transmission of water borne diseases, and on the importance of protecting wells and boreholes Our qualitative data was collected using survey forms loaded onto smartphones. GPS coordinates were recorded for each village and water point survey completed, allowing us to map the results to show regional variations and the worst affected areas. (And also allowing a double check that the data collection teams were really visiting the villages to collect data rather than spending the day just out of sight of the base). The maps were also of great interest to our whole team, who had never seen plans of the villages and key roads. Our village data has now been uploaded to Open Street Map with the help of MSF's dedicated GIS unit, and by the time I le , it was not unusual to see team members using Open Street Map on their smart phones to track our progress between villages while in the field. On completion of the analysis phase, we developed a project plan to trial the use of stainless steel pumps parts (more expensive, but longer lasting in saline conditions) and the use of an alternative pump model which used no steel at all (no corrosion risk, but would require re-training for the pump mechanics, and assurance that a supply chain was in place for spare parts). The project also puts a major focus on helping the pump users to understand the importance of protecting their boreholes to prevent contamination. Soft skills Working for MSF can on first glance seem quite different to regular engineering jobs in the UK, but engineers should not underestimate how valuable their so skills are. Engineers are also usually well trained in analysing complex problems and developing solutions. Even if with MSF the problems are more likely to be along the lines of 'how to transport your team and 20 tonnes of construction materials to a site which is only accessible on foot' or 'how to remove a submersible pump which is jammed 75m down a borehole, using only what you can find in a remote village'. In my day job, I work on the design of flood defence structures, and on water and wastewater systems. As a water and sanitation engineer for MSF, I am expected to provide guidance on a broad range of technical issues covering fields such as civil, mechanical and process engineering, geology and hydrogeology. No one is expected to be an expert in everything though, and MSF has a team of technical experts who are available to help with issues outside of your area of speciality. It is also important to remember that local solutions are almost always the best as they are more likely to be successfully operated and maintained by local teams, so you are as likely to learn from local engineers as they are from you. People work for MSF for a huge range of valid reasons, from wanting to 'help' to wanting to develop their own skills, to wanderlust. The important thing is to ensure that you have the required skills, and are suitable for the type of work and living conditions. Working for weeks on end in 48 degrees (where opening a car window makes you feel like you are in a convection oven) can be difficult. As can having your meticulous project plans scuppered by an early rainy season resulting in key access tracks being cut off by the sudden arrival of rivers in the middle of the desert. It is important to be flexible, adaptable and open minded. Also consider that you may be required to manage large teams, from different cultures, and with a range of levels of experience. For me, the difficulties are more than made up for by the opportunity to work on projects which I find interesting and challenging, and to work with and learn from diverse multicultural teams. Highlights The particular project I was working on is continuing as I type, and I enjoy receiving email and WhatsApp updates from the local team, telling me how they are getting on. I spent many late evenings in the office with a captive audience, showing the team how to use simple GIS programmes and how the data was being analysed in Excel. It was a real pleasure to work with them. Some had never used a computer before (it was like trying to teach my Grandmother in the beginning!) but in the end, many developed skills that will almost certainly stand them in good stead for the future. For impact, I could talk about the borehole and pump that we repaired in another hospital that MSF is working in in Chad (Abeche). The hospital had experienced extreme water shortages over the summer months as the hospital borehole was broken and they were using only the unreliable city supply. This had major impact on sanitation in the hospital, the risk of infection, and even on drinking water availability. We managed to repair the borehole and replace the pump, so they are now OK. n Jo Read is a mechanical engineer at Atkins. Sugared water is handed out at the Bokoro hospital Jo Read (left) was responsible for three water and sanitation projects in Chad

• Cover