Groundwater Governance in Emergency Situations
Jaroslav Vrba
UNESCO IHP Project Identification and management of strategic groundwater bodies to be used for emergency situations as a result of extreme events or in case of conflicts GWES – Groundwater for Emergency Situations GWES Methodological Guide, Chapter 7: Groundwater governance in emergency situations Jaroslav Vrba GWES Project Coordinator
Groundwater – safe resource for emergency situa ons • One of the most pressing priority following a natural disaster is the distribution of drinking water for populations, hospitals and food production facilities.
• It is often difficult to organize a replacement of drinking water facilities when regular water supplies have been damaged or polluted and their restoration may take weeks, months or years.
• Low vulnerable groundwater resources, safe source of water for drinking and other purposes in emergency situations, play decisive role for human social security during and after disaster events.
• Access to such resources will provide populations with timeous replacement of affected water supply facilities and make relief activities more rapid and effective.
• Safe groundwater resources have to be investigated, developed and managed as substitutes for damaged water supplies.
Groundwater governance and management in emergencies
• In emergency situations policy of sustainability cannot be strictly implemented. Groundwater from aquifers resistant to natural disasters can be temporary overexploited to tide over the emergency until the regular water supply system can be restored and reactivated both in quantity and quality. • Implementation of such policy requires the knowledge of regional hydrogeological conditions, particularly the rate of aquifer productivity and quality and evaluation of potential impact of aquifers temporary overexploitation on groundwater dependent ecosystems. • A timely investigation and community participation are essential in developing emergency water infrastructures and implementing relevant emergency groundwater governance and management policy.
Three scenarios for distribu on of drinking water in emergencies 1. Where safe emergency water resources have already been investigated, developed and set aside, the distribution of drinking water during and after disaster will be rapid and effective.
2. Following the disaster new water wells can be rapidly drilled where aquifers safe to disaster impacts have already been investigated, but not yet developed.
3. In the absence of such hydrogeological knowledge relief responses can be severely retarded, exacerbating the potential impact on social and health conditions of the populations. Large quantity of bottled water then has to be imported or drinking water transported by tankers from distant unaffected drinking water sources - such measures take time to implement, they are expensive, logistically demanding and only temporary solution.
Three scenarios for distribu on of drinking water in emergencies 1. Where safe emergency water resources have already been investigated, developed and set aside, the distribution of drinking water during and after disaster will be rapid and effective.
2. Following the disaster new water wells can be rapidly drilled where aquifers safe to disaster impacts have already been investigated, but not yet developed.
3. In the absence of such hydrogeological knowledge relief responses can be severely retarded, exacerbating the potential impact on the social and health conditions of the populations. Large quantity of bottled water then has to be imported or drinking water transported by tankers from distant unaffected drinking water sources - such measures take time to implement, they are expensive, logistically demanding and only temporary solution.
Deep wells with a membrane filtration and diesel power plant located in hospitals in Japan supply emergency drinking water (Tanaka, 2011)
Treatment process is Filtration treatment with High quality same as water supply film water plant
Treatment water tank To supply Original water tank 24 hours checking Sand Filtration system filter tank Deep well
Removal of virus with film filtration system
・System covers 80% use of drinking water in a ordinary time ・353 facilities were introduced in whole Japan including 116 hospitals by April, 2004 (Kobe earthquake, 1955) Responsibility of governance emergency actors
• Governmental authorities are responsible for implementation of groundwater resources risk assessment , management and governance policy in emergencies, establishment of mitigation plans, and communication with all sectors of emergency water users. • The establishment of institutional and legal frameworks and regulatory mechanisms are essential for implementation effective emergency groundwater governance. • Experienced and trained human resources are a crucial component in all phases of coping with the impact of disasters on water supplies. Hyogo Declaration (Conference on Disaster reduction, 2005) emphasize establishment of training programmes targeted on active participation of specific sectors and groups of population. • The empowerment enables local people to take charge during and after disasters, with ownership of knowledge, to restore their own water supplies facilities. According to the WMO disaster related fundamental information to the local community includes: knowledge of risk (causes and dynamics of disasters), forecast and warning information, disaster impact and mitigation, and post- disaster instructions. • In emergency situations human security increases with running down groundwater vulnerability and with increasing human ability (preparedness) to cope with disaster risks and impacts. Groundwater governance in emergency situations
• Strengthen 1/ Institutional, legal, regulatory and policy framework that support groundwater governance in emergency situations, and 2/disaster preparedness policy for effective responses to disaster events at all levels. • Define the role of decision making sphere, water managers, planners, water stakeholders and local communities in implementation of integrated multi- sectoral approaches to groundwater governance in emergencies. • Enhance capacity building (institutional, technical), share of research findings and transfer knowledge, technology and expertise. • Integrate civil defense agencies, army, fire brigades, and other special rescue and aid teams in groundwater governance in emergencies. • Delegate responsibilities from central to local governments and empower local communities to self manage the installation and operation of emergency water supply and sanitation systems. • Communities participation is essential in developing and safe guarding water supply infrastructure that will effectively function in emergency. • Make emergency groundwater resources an integral part of National Water Master Plan, land use planning and groundwater risk management schemes in emergencies. • Establish groundwater monitoring networks and early warning systems. • Establish cooperation between adjacent countries to facilitate coordinated transboundary aquifers governance policy in emergencies. • Recognize that tasks of groundwater governance actors in emergency vary in different phases of disaster: preparedness, warning, relief, rehabilitation. India – State Orissa: Coastal area along the Bay of Bengal is repeatedly affected by storms. After super-cyclone (1999) hallow aquifers were contaminated up to 15 Km inland. Hundreds of emergency wells (150m to 300m deep) were drilled. Conclusions
• Disasters cannot be precluded but their impact on water resources can be effectively managed if disaster governance policy has been adopted. • Every natural disaster produces unique emergency situation in drinking water supply security and population vulnerability . Their successful solution requires appropriate specific responses, relief actions and skill levels. • Effective groundwater governance relies on catchment-based integrated water resources management. • Poor emergency groundwater governance and lack of political will increase populations social vulnerability and reduce their capacity to cope with and resist from the impact of a disaster on water supplies. • Populations vulnerability in developing countries is often affected by their poverty because development of deep groundwater safe to disasters is costly and exceeds financial possibilities of communities. • The response of local governments to disaster impact, based on local experience and traditions, can significantly support: 1/ immediate implementation of relief measures, 2/ mitigation of the impact of disasters on local groundwater supplies and exposed population and 3/ jointly with national government implementation of effective groundwater governance in emergency situations.