“The aim of the Handbook is to improve the quality of humanitarian response in situations of disaster and conflict, and to enhance the accountability of the humanitarian system to disaster-affected people”

1. WATER SUPPLY
&
SANITATION

2. WHAT IS SPHERE…. . .?
 Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Humanitarian Response
 Initiated by a Group of NGOs & ICRC/RC in 1997
“The aim of the Handbook is to improve
the quality of humanitarian response
in situations of disaster and conflict,
and to enhance
the accountability of the humanitarian system
to disaster-affected people”

3. CORE BELIEFS
 those affected by disaster or
conflict have a right to life with
dignity and, therefore, a right to
assistance;
 all possible steps should be taken
to alleviate human suffering
arising out of disaster.

4. MINIMUM STANDARDS
 1. Water Supply, Sanitation and
Hygiene Promotion
 2. Food Security and Nutrition
 3. Shelter, Settlement and
non-Food Items
 4. Health Action
WATER SUPPLY
 Water supply, sanitation
and hygiene promotion
(WASH)
 Hygiene Promotion
 Water Supply
 Excreta Disposal
 Vector Control
 Solid Waste Management
 Drainage

5.  1 - Access and water quantity
 2 – Water quality
 3 – Water facilities
 People have safe and equitable access
to a sufficient quantity of water for
drinking, cooking and personal and
domestic hygiene
 Water is palatable and of sufficient
quality to be drunk and used for
cooking and personal and domestic
hygiene.
 People have adequate facilities to
collect, store and use sufficient
quantities of water for dinking, cooking
& personal hygiene.
WATER SUPPLY
MINIMUM STANDARDS

6. Standard 1: Access and Water Quantity
 Water source selection
availability, proximity, sustainability of sufficient quantity water, treatment, other
factors
* non-conventional water sources: desalination, reuse of wastewaters
 Needs
 Measurements (according to data collected from the community)
 Quantity / coverage (priority to equitable access to adequate quantity of water)
 Maximum number of people per water source
 Queuing time (indicator of insufficient water availability)
 Access and equity (water points in good and protected positions)

7. Standard 1: Access and Water Quantity
 Survival needs, water intake: 2,5 – 3 liters per day
Depends on the climate and individual physiology
 Basic hygiene practices: 2 – 6 liters per day
Depends on social and cultural norms
 Basic cooking needs: 3 – 6 liters per day
Depends on food type and social and cultural norms
 Total of 7,5 – 15 liters of watr per person per day
Needs

8. Standard 1: Access and Water Quantity
 250 people per tap
Based on a flow of 7,5 liters/minute
 500 people per hand pump
Based on a flow of 17 liters/minute
 400 people per single-user open well
Based on a flow of 12,5 liters/minute
Maximum number

9. Standard 2: Water Quality
 Sanitary survey and water safety plan (WHO recommends the use of WSP)
 Microbiological water quality (Faecal coliform bacteria >99 % of E. coli)
 Promotion of protected sources
 Post-delivery contamination
 Water disinfection (chlorine residual of 0.5mg/l and turbidity is below 5 NTU)
 Household-level water treatment (Different types of PoUWT to reduce diarrhea and
improve the microbiological quality)
 Chemical & radiological contamination (needs a chemical analysis)
 Water quality for health centers 5 liters per outpatient & 40-60 liters per inpatient

10. Standard 3: Water facilities
 Water collection and storage
 2 clean water containers of 10-20 liters per household, special container for sick
people
 Communal washing and bathing facilities
 1 washing basin per 100 people
 private laundering and bathing areas for women
 Maintenance of water system

11.  1 – Environment free from
human faeces
 2 – Appropriate and adequate
toilet facilities
 The living environment in general and
specifically the habitat, food production
areas, public centers and surroundings
of drinking water sources are free from
human faecal contamination
 Appropriate and adequate toilet
facilities
SANITATION
MINIMUM STANDARDS

12. Standard 1: Environment free from human
faeces
 Safe excreta disposal
 Disposal management plan and trainings if necessary
 Defecation areas
 Well marked and contained
 Distance of defection system from water sources
 Minimum 30 meters distance and 1,5 meter above the ground table
 Containment of children’s faeces
 This can be more dangerous since they don’t have all the antibodies to infections
 Availability and training for nappies / diapers, potties /scoops

13. Standard 2: Appropriate and adequate toilet
facilities
 Acceptable facilities
 Depending of the people’s needs:
children, elders, people with disabilities
& culture and habits
 Demarcation areas – 1-3 days
 Trench latrines – 2 months
 Long term use
 Simple / ventilated pit latrines VIP
 Ecological sanitation Ecosan
 Septic tanks

14. Standard 2: Appropriate and adequate toilet
facilities
 Public toilets (regular cleaning & maintenance)
 Family toilets (ideal 1 toilet for 20 people)
 Shared facilities (regular cleaning & maintenance
 Safe facilities ( attention to women and girls, night time)
 Use of local building materials and tools (participation enhancement)
 Water and anal cleansing material (attention to hygienic seal mechanisms)
 Hand washing (soap or alternative)
 Menstruation
 Desludging (needs to be considered from the start)
 Toilets in difficult environments (containment mechanisms)