Report of

Water Quality Surveillance in FDMN 2021

Community Point Source
Round 2, 2021
(Cumulative Round 16)
(9th January to 9th February 2021)

March 2021
Jointly Funded by WHO and UNICEF
Implemented by
Ground Water Circle and Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance Circle

Department of Public Health Engineering

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 Executive Summary

Drinking-water supply surveillance is a continuous and vigilant public health assessment and
review of safety and acceptability of drinking-water supplies. Department of Public Health
Engineering DPHE) is implementing water quality surveillance (WQS) program for community
point sources in Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Settlements with the technical and financial
assistance of WHO and UNICEF. WQS is composed of a sanitary inspection with subsequent
testing of drinking water quality for E. coli, the results are regularly shared with the WASH sector
partners for necessary action to ensure and keeping the safety of drinking water thus reduce the
risk water borne disease.

The 2nd round (cumulative round 16) of community point source water quality surveillance was
started on 9th January and ended on 9th February 2021. A total of 4212 water samples were
collected and examined comprising 1053 unsterile sources, 1053 sterile sources and 2106
household storage water samples. The membrane filtration technique used to examine E. Coli
and observation method used to conduct sanitary inspection.

Overall results showed that 93% of community point sources (tube wells) matched WHO
guideline value and Bangladesh Standard for E. Coli (0 cfu/100ml) in drinking water. The
remaining sources have variable degree of E. Coli contamination associated with different types
of sanitary risks. While the analysis of 2106 household's storage water samples showed that
73% matched WHO guideline value and Bangladesh Standard for E. Coli (0 cfu/100ml) in
drinking water. Several recommendations have been made to improve the sanitary condition
and quality of water in the report.

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 Table of Contents

1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 4
2. Results ...................................................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Source Water ...................................................................................................................... 4
2.2 Household's Storage Water................................................................................................. 5
2.3 Sanitary Inspection of Source and Household's Storage .................................................... 5
2.4 Surveillance Risk at Source and Household's Storage ....................................................... 6
3. Recommendations .................................................................................................................... 8
4. Annexes .................................................................................................................................... 9
Annex-I: Number of sources and household water sample tested, and SI performed .............. 9
Annex-II: Risk matrix ............................................................................................................... 10

ACRONYMS
cfu Coliform forming unit
DPHE Department of Public Health Engineering
E. coli Escherichia coli
ml Millilitres
SI Sanitary Inspection
UNICEF United Nations International Children Fund
WHO World Health Organization

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1. Introduction
WHO defines drinking water supply surveillance as “the continuous and vigilant public health
assessment and review of the safety and acceptability of drinking water supplies. The 16th
round of water quality surveillance in FDMN settlements of WHO-UNICEF-DPHE started at 9th
January 2021 and ended on 9th February 2021. It was composed of sanitary inspection
and E. coli testing of the source and household's storage. The results of 16th round is
available now. A total of 4212 water samples were collected and examined comprising 1053
unsterile sources, 1053 sterile sources and 2106 household's storage water samples. Round
wise sample details are presented herein bellow.

2. Results
2.1 Source Water
The analysis of 1053 unsterile source water samples showed that 93% are free of E. Coli
contamination and matched the WHO guideline value as well as Bangladesh standard. The
reaming 4% and 3% have 1-10 cfu/100ml and 11-100 cfu/100ml E. Coli contamination
respectively. The camp wise details are presented in Fig.1.

Fig. 1: E. Coli contamination of source water samples (unsterile) in different settlement

The E. coli analysis of 1053 sterile source water samples indicated that ground water and
tube well spouts were uncontaminated for 93% of tube well. The ground water and tube well
spout was contaminated for 4% sources. The results also indicated that spout of 3% of the tube
well's spout were contaminated but the ground water was uncontaminated. Camp wise details
are presented in Fig. 2.

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Fig. 2: E. Coli contamination comparison of unsterile and sterile spout source water samples in different settlement

2.2 Household's Storage Water

The analysis of 2106 household's storage water samples showed that 73% were free from E.
Coli contamination. The reaming 16%, 10% and 1% had 1-10 cfu/100ml, 11-100 cfu/100ml and
>100 cfu/100ml level of E. Coli contamination respectively. The camp wise details are presented
in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3: E. Coli contamination of household's storage water samples in different settlement

2.3 Sanitary Inspection of Source and Household's Storage

Under the water quality surveillance program Sanitary Inspection (SI) was also conducted for
all sources and household's water storage from where water samples were collected. The SI
covered physical and practice related vulnerability on a scale of 0 to 3 that may lead to water

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contamination, where 0 stands for least vulnerable and 3 stands for highly vulnerable. Overall
analysis indicated that 1% of the sources and 1% of the household's storage were highly
vulnerable to contamination. The camp wise details are presented in Table 1.

Table 1: Sanitary Inspection score of source and household's storage in different settlement (Round 16)
Source Household
Settlements
0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3
Camp 1E 61% 33% 6% 0% 0% 69% 31% 0%
Camp 1W 56% 44% 0% 0% 1% 74% 24% 1%
Camp 2E 62% 38% 0% 0% 0% 71% 29% 0%
Camp 2W 71% 21% 7% 0% 0% 82% 18% 0%
Camp 3 52% 48% 0% 0% 0% 81% 19% 0%
Camp 4 71% 17% 5% 7% 0% 72% 28% 0%
Camp 4Ext 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 70% 30% 0%
Camp 5 62% 28% 10% 0% 2% 71% 24% 3%
Camp 6 40% 53% 0% 7% 7% 83% 7% 3%
Camp 7 58% 38% 5% 0% 3% 76% 21% 0%
Camp 8E 58% 33% 6% 3% 0% 68% 29% 3%
Camp 8W 67% 31% 3% 0% 3% 75% 22% 0%
Camp 9 70% 30% 0% 0% 1% 71% 25% 3%
Camp 10 57% 43% 0% 0% 0% 72% 27% 1%
Camp 11 52% 40% 5% 2% 0% 69% 31% 0%
Camp 12 76% 24% 0% 0% 1% 79% 20% 0%
Camp 13 74% 26% 0% 0% 0% 69% 29% 1%
Camp 14 64% 31% 5% 0% 1% 78% 19% 1%
Camp 15 52% 40% 4% 3% 2% 72% 27% 0%
Camp 16 60% 33% 5% 2% 0% 74% 24% 2%
Camp 17 41% 43% 16% 0% 0% 70% 30% 0%
Camp 18 74% 22% 4% 0% 1% 67% 31% 0%
Camp 19 58% 40% 2% 0% 0% 77% 22% 1%
Camp 20 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 72% 28% 0%
Camp 20Ext 33% 67% 0% 0% 0% 78% 22% 0%
Camp 21 76% 10% 10% 5% 2% 64% 31% 2%
Camp 22 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0%
Camp 23 71% 28% 0% 1% 1% 68% 28% 3%
Camp 24 50% 50% 0% 0% 8% 67% 25% 0%
Camp 25 0% 67% 33% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0%
Camp 26 25% 75% 0% 0% 0% 63% 38% 0%
Camp 27 50% 50% 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0%
Total 62% 33% 4% 1% 1% 73% 25% 1%

2.4 Surveillance Risk at Source and Household's Storage

Finally, the surveillance risk level of source and household water using the E. coli test
results and SI score has been calculated following the matrix presented in Annex-II. The detail

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result presented in Table 2 shows that water from 57% of sources and 1% of household's
storage water are at low risk requiring no action whereas 1% of the sources and 2% of the
households are at high risk. The camp wise details are presented in Table 2.

Table 2: Surveillance risk level of source and household's storage at different settlement (Round 16)
Source risk level Household risk level
Settlements
Low Intermediate High Very high Low Intermediate High Very high
Camp 1E 61% 33% 6% 0% 0% 69% 31% 0%
Camp 1W 47% 42% 11% 0% 1% 57% 40% 1%
Camp 2E 48% 43% 10% 0% 0% 55% 45% 0%
Camp 2W 64% 14% 21% 0% 0% 75% 25% 0%
Camp 3 48% 48% 5% 0% 0% 74% 26% 0%
Camp 4 56% 24% 12% 7% 0% 62% 38% 0%
Camp 4Ext 80% 0% 20% 0% 0% 40% 60% 0%
Camp 5 55% 28% 17% 0% 2% 66% 29% 3%
Camp 6 33% 60% 0% 7% 7% 73% 17% 3%
Camp 7 50% 38% 13% 0% 3% 71% 26% 0%
Camp 8E 56% 36% 6% 3% 0% 65% 32% 3%
Camp 8W 61% 36% 3% 0% 3% 74% 24% 0%
Camp 9 68% 32% 0% 0% 1% 66% 30% 3%
Camp 10 57% 43% 0% 0% 0% 67% 32% 1%
Camp 11 48% 40% 7% 5% 0% 62% 36% 2%
Camp 12 76% 24% 0% 0% 1% 75% 24% 0%
Camp 13 74% 26% 0% 0% 0% 64% 35% 1%
Camp 14 56% 38% 5% 0% 1% 76% 22% 1%
Camp 15 50% 40% 6% 3% 2% 65% 33% 1%
Camp 16 57% 33% 5% 5% 0% 70% 26% 4%
Camp 17 39% 43% 18% 0% 0% 63% 38% 0%
Camp 18 70% 26% 4% 0% 1% 62% 37% 0%
Camp 19 55% 41% 4% 0% 0% 68% 31% 1%
Camp 20 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 67% 33% 0%
Camp 20Ext 22% 78% 0% 0% 0% 72% 28% 0%
Camp 21 71% 14% 10% 5% 2% 57% 38% 2%
Camp 22 100% 0% 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0%
Camp 23 61% 34% 3% 3% 0% 47% 47% 6%
Camp 24 50% 50% 0% 0% 8% 42% 33% 17%
Camp 25 0% 67% 33% 0% 0% 83% 17% 0%
Camp 26 25% 50% 25% 0% 0% 25% 63% 13%
Camp 27 50% 50% 0% 0% 0% 100% 0% 0%
Grand Total 57% 35% 6% 1% 1% 65% 33% 2%

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3. Recommendations
Overall findings indicated that there are significant changes of water quality and sanitary risk
score at source and at household's storage level as compared to previous rounds. Some key
recommendations for further improvements are:

 Disinfect the tube well spouts by burning with fire and methyl alcohol regularly
 Perform well chlorination for the 24 very highly contaminated sterile sources/boreholes.
 Wells sited within 30ft distant from source of contamination, but with very good yield
should be upgraded into small water yards (raised into overhead tanks)

 Hygiene promotion for safe water chain should be taken up seriously (e.g., hand
washing after defecation with soap before touching the water, safe transport, storage
and usage)
 Motivate households to use narrow mouth containers where hands cannot be inserted
while cleaning the water storage.

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4. Annexes
Annex‐I: Number of sources and household water sample tested, and SI performed
Round 15 (#) Round 16 (#) Round 17 (#) Round 18 (#)
From 17/10/2020 From 09/01/2021 From ________ From ________
No Settlements
to 18/11/2020 to 09/02/2021 to ________ to ________
S HH S HH
11 Camp 1E 18 36 18 36
12 Camp 1W 36 72 36 72
24 Camp 3 24 48 21 42
25 Camp 4 14 28 41 82
26 Camp 4 Ext 21 42 5 10
27 Camp 5 42 84 29 58
28 Camp 6 5 10 15 30
29 Camp 7 30 60 40 80
30 Camp 8E 15 30 36 72
31 Camp 8W 39 78 36 72
32 Camp 9 36 72 50 100
1 Camp 10 39 78 46 92
2 Camp 11 49 98 42 84
3 Camp 12 44 88 50 100
4 Camp 13 38 76 39 78
5 Camp 14 52 104 39 78
6 Camp 15 38 76 94 188
7 Camp 16 39 78 42 84
8 Camp 17 91 182 44 88
9 Camp 18 41 82 69 138
10 Camp 19 44 88 95 190
13 Camp 20 69 138 9 18
14 Camp 20 Ext 95 190 9 18
15 Camp 21 15 30 21 42
16 Camp 22 3 6 1 2
17 Camp 23 21 42 76 152
18 Camp 24 77 154 6 12
19 Camp 25 8 16 3 6
20 Camp 26 3 6 4 8
21 Camp 27 5 10 2 2
22 Camp 2E 2 4 21 42
23 Camp 2W 0 0 14 18
33 Kutupalong RC 0 0 0 0
33 Nayapara RC 0 0 0 0
Grand Total 1053 2106 1053 2106
S = Source Sample; HH = Household Sample

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Annex‐II: Risk matrix
Risk level of each source and household water are derived using the following matrix that considers the sanitary
survey scores and the water quality test results.

Sanitary inspection score

0 1 2 3
<1

1‐10
(CFU/100 ml)

11‐100
E. coli

>100

Low risk – no action required

Intermediate risk – low action priority

High risk – high action priority

Very high risk – urgent action required

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