Institute of Public Health of “Dr Milan Jovanović Batut”

Water and sanitation emergency management in municipality during the Serbia floods 2014

Miljan Rančić, Env. Eng. – MA Serbia Floods 2014

• Heavy rainfall in mid-May 2014 resulted in extensive flooding in Serbia that affected 1.6 million people and 38 municipalities, resulting in human casualties

• Dozens of communities were severely affected and a lot of inhabitants were evacuated from their homes Serbia Floods 2014

• Serbian government had declared a state of emergency for the territory of whole Country.

• In a very short time, many of the public water supply and sewer systems, both urban and rural, were destroyed or disrupted.

• Health facilities, schools and agricultural lands were damaged. Cyclone formed over the Balkans on 13 May • The extreme flooding event in Serbia began on 13 May, 2014, when an area of low pressure developed as a warm, moist air from over the Mediterranean Sea clashed with colder air from the north • The low air layer became cut-off from the jet stream, which would ordinarily usher the system across the region — instead, it remained parked over West Balkans, dumping rain for several days • Soil was already oversaturated with rainfall Cyclone formed over the Balkans on 14 May - Extremely large-scale disaster - 38 municipalities, 1.6 mil. people affected - Most severe flooding in 120 years in Serbia Development of the event

• On 15 May, the daily amounts of rainfall broke historical records in (107.9 l/m2), (108.2 l/m2) and (110 l/m2) • By 15 May, the monthly rainfall in Belgrade had broken the historical record (175 l/m2 from 1897), reaching 205 l/m2 • By Saturday, May 17, the rain had subsided, and the weather gradually became warmer and sunnier, somewhat easing relief and rescue efforts • During those few days, some areas received an amount of rain equivalent to one third of their annual total – up to 280 l/m2 Moravicki Region Koceljeva Zlatiborski Region Šabac Obrenovac Legal bases for IPHs preparedness and response in emergency situations

• Law on emergency situations • Law on public health • Law on health care • Law on the protection of the population from communicable diseases • Law on food safety • Law on water • Related by-laws and strategies • International Health Regulation (IHR) IPH documents

• Written plans and protocols -Emergency preparedness and response plan of IPH of Serbia • Expert - Methodological Guidance for Emergency Response of IPHs (assessment of the situation in affected area, service organization, drinking water quality monitoring, food safety and nutrition of the population, surveillance of the collective centers, disinfection and pest control activities, ALERT system, Case definitions– created by the IPH of Serbia and adopted by the National Expert Commission for the protection of the population from communicable diseases) Public health preparedness system

MoH of Serbia State sanitary Inspection WHO,ECDC 23IPH Regional of Serbia (IHR IPHs NFP) and and 23 regional IPHs one National IPH Media

24 Dep. Of 25 Dep .of 24 Dep. Of 24 laboratories Hygiene and Biostatistics and 54 mobile teams Epidemiology Human Ecology Informatics

*157 Primary *107 Hospitals Health Centers Emergency response of IPH of Serbia

• Coordination within network of IPHs at level required in emergencies – 24 hours communication and support • Collaboration with all relevant institutions in the country, and international organizations: WHO (country office in Serbia, regional office in Copenhagen and Environmental and Health office in Bonn), UNICEF, Humanitarian organizations… • Fieldwork in Obrenovac, Koceljeva, Sabac, Valjevo , , S. Mitrovica municipalities. Emergency response Joint activities of the Hygiene and Epidemiology Departments • Coordinate activities on collecting, analyzing and reporting data on: ✓ Drinking water quality ✓ Water supply situation in affected areas (GIS- mapped overview of the situation) ✓ Epidemiological situation – electronic reporting within established ALERT system and risk assessment ✓ Surveillance of collective centers (e.g. number, location, sanitary-hygienic conditions, the number of displaced people, disease surveillance – number of cases, the needs for disinfectants, food, clothes…control measures for improving sanitary and epidemiological conditions Water supply situation in affected areas

Округ Водовод Стање водоснабдевања по датумима 15.5. 16.5. 17.5. 18.5. 19.5. 20.5. 21.5. 22.5. 23.5. 24.5. 25.5. 26.5. 27.5. 28.5. 29.5. Параћин Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Поморавски/ЗЗЈ Ћуприја Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z З Ћуприја Свилајнац X X X X X X X X Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Деспотовац X X X X X X X Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Смедеревска X X X X X X X X Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Браничевски и Паланка Подунавски/ЗЗЈ Петровац Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z З Пожаревац Кучево Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z R R R R R R R Жагубица Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z R R R R R R R Љиг X X X X X X X X Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Лајковац X X X X X Z Z Z Z Z Z Z R R R Колубарски/ЗЗЈ Ваљево D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R З Ваљево Уб Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z R R R R Мионица Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z R R Крупањ X X X X X X X X D D D Z Z Z Z Љубовија X X X X X X Z Z R R R R R R R Мачвански/ЗЗЈЗ Коцељева Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z R R R R R R R Шабац Владимирци Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Мали Зворник D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R Кнић Z Z Z Z Z Z Z R R R R R R R R Шумадијски Рача Z Z Z Z Z Z Z R R R R R R R R Лапово Z Z R R Z Z Z R R R R R R R R Обреновац X X X X X X X X X X X X Z Z Z Град Вождовац D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R Београд/ГЗЈЗ Лазaревац X X X X X D D D Z Z Z R R R R Београд Гроцка D D D R R R R R R R Z Z Z Z Z Варварин- R R R R R R R D D D D D R R R Крушевац Обреж и Катун Рашки/ЗЗЈЗ Краљево део D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D Ражањ Z Z Z Z Z Z X X X X X Z Z Z Z Гаџин Хан R R Z Z Z Z Z Z Z R R R R R R Нишки Сврљиг Z Z R Z Z Z Z Z Z R R R R R R Дољевац Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Зејачарски и Соко Бања Z Z R R R R R R R R R R R R R Борски Пирот Бабушница R R R R R R R R R Z Z Z Z Z Z

Water supply situation in affected areas

Округ Водовод Стање водоснабдевања по датумима 30.5. 31.5. 1.6. 2.6. 3.6. 4.5. 5.5. 6.6. 7.6. 8.6. Параћин Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Поморавски/ЗЗЈ Ћуприја Z Z Z Z Z R R R R R З Ћуприја Свилајнац Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Деспотовац Z Z Z R R R R R R R Смедеревска Z Z Z Z Z Z R R R R Браничевски и Паланка Подунавски/ЗЗЈ Петровац R R R R R R R R R R З Пожаревац Кучево R R R R R R R R R R Жагубица R R R R R R R R R R Љиг Z Z Z R R R R R R R Лајковац R R R R R R R R R R Колубарски/ЗЗЈ Ваљево R R R R R R R R R R З Ваљево Уб R R R R R R R R R R Мионица R R R R R R R R R R Крупањ Z Z Z Z Z R R R R R Мачвански/ЗЗЈЗ Љубовија R R R R R R R R R R Шабац Коцељева R R R R R R R R R R Владимирци Z Z Z Z Z Z R R R R Богатић R R R R R R R R R R Мали Зворник R R R R R R R R R R Кнић R R R R R R R R R R Шумадијски Рача R R R R R R R R R R Лапово R R R R R R R R R R Обреновац Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Град Вождовац R R R R R R R R R R Београд/ГЗЈЗ Лазaревац R R R R R R R R R R Београд Гроцка R R R R R R R R R R Крушевац Варварин- Краљево део R R R R R R R R R R Рашки/ЗЗЈЗ Ушће Краљево Трстеник R R R R R R R R R R Ражањ R R R R R R R R R R Гаџин Хан R R R R R R R R R R Нишки Сврљиг R R R R R R R R R R Дољевац Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Зејачарски и Соко Бања R R R R R R R R R R Борски Пирот Бабушница Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z

The Example of Obrenovac

• Obrenovac is the south/western municipality of the City of Belgrade and it was the most affected town in Serbia, due to it’s unique location • It is positioned on the banks of 3 rivers: Sava, Kolubara and , at the very confluence of the Kolubara and Sava river • Obrenovac is also the lowest point of the Kolubara river catchment area The Example of Obrenovac The complexity and specificity of the situation in Obrenovac • Complete blockade of all activities on recovery of city functions (high levels of surface water and groundwater) • Devastated water supply system • Devastated sewage system • Enormous amount of solid waste and contaminated and spoiled food (farmaceutical waste!) • Large number of dead animal carcasses (only one incinerator-pound, 70 km from Obrenovac!) • Urban area had remained flooded for almost a week Satelite images of Obrenovac flooded Emergency response – established coordination and inter-sectoral collaboration of the IPH of Serbia

Established communication: ✓ Ministry of Interior ✓ Ministry of Defense ✓ Ministry of Health ✓ Ministry of Agriculture and Environment Protection (Plant Protection Department, Fito-Sanitary Inspection, Veterinary Services and Inspection) ✓ Institute for the Development of Water Resources"Jaroslav Cherni" ✓ Faculty of Agriculture ✓ Government Office for Reconstruction and Flood Relief ✓ National Council for Consumer Protection ✓ Institute for Biocides and Medical Ecology ✓ The Institute for Vaccines and Virology – Torlak ✓ Multi-sectoral Team in order to monitor and propose actions against mosquitoes (Action plan ​​ for the treatment of mosquitoes) ✓ Regional – Cross-Border communication and cooperation (e.g. fighting mosquitoes) •HEALTH RISK BASED MANAGEMENT!

• Participation in Emergency management headquarters in Obrenovac Obrenovac water supply system features • Total capacity of water supply system was around 430 liters per second (l/s) – maximum 450 l/s. • There are two water treatment plants – "Zabrežje" and "Barič„ • Zabrežje” is using water supply source "Vić bare", which consists of Ranney collectors and drilled wells in the alluvium of Sava River, providing around 250 – 300 l/s. • "Barič" plant abstracts surface water of the Sava River and also uses drilled wells in the alluvium of Sava River, providing around 150 l/s. Obrenovac water supply system features • Waterworks public utility supplies with drinking water about 70 000 citizens (around 30 000 were displaced/evacuated!). • Water treatment includes: coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, rapid sand filtration and disinfection/chlorination. • Distribution system has several pressure zones, supported by 15 pumping stations/facilities. • There are 6 water tanks/reservoirs. • The system is dependent on electricity. “ZERO” SITUATION IN OBRENOVAC • Submersion of water-supply sources (21 drilled wells) and supporting facilities (pipes, manholes, electrical installations); • Significant impairment of drinking water supply distribution network (the main line – 600 mm ø pipe suffered the greatest damage); • Sagging of the ground destroyed asbestos- cement pipes; • Immersion of booster water pumps for higher residential buildings. “ZERO” SITUATION

• Extraordinary high groundwater level (due to high levels of Kolubara and Sava river), completely destroyed and submerged both main sewer collector and rain water drainage (with a total dysfunction of sewer pumping/lift stations), preventing any flowing and drainage of any kind of water from the ground surface. “ZERO” SITUATION

• Water supply is not in function at all! • Part of the population has not been evacuated, they were trapped in residential buildings (houses and apartments) with no tap water • It was necessary, as soon as possible, to organize cleaning and washing of the facilities and public areas and prepare them for disinfection • Extremely increased hygiene and epidemiological risks

„Training polygon“

• Unfortunately, the situation in Obrenovac was a „perfect training polygon" for implementation and verification of all professional skills, knowledge, doctrines, strategies, planning, response measures and activities related to emergencies, but it also was an example which showed how sometimes is not possible to do anything, while the force of nature allows it. FIRST AID SOLUTIONS

• Distribution of bottled water to inhabitants who were trapped in the flooded zones

• Humanitarian organizations, donors and National strategic commodity reserve were activated to ensure sufficient quantities of bottled water FIRST AID SOLUTIONS

• Involvement of military, police and other specialized units and teams for the supply/distribution of bottled water • Engaging volunteers (Red Cross!) in the manipulation with bottled water (supplaying residents who can access points for distribution of water and food) • Exceptionally valuable and efficient were the efforts of Red Cross volunteers to distribute bottled water in rural areas, wherever it was suggested by Institute of Public Health of Serbia, Institute of Public Health of Belgrade, as well as by EMHQ

THE EVOLUTION OF PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS • Provision of water auto-tankers with safe water – for drinking, but also for washing and cleaning of the public facilities and areas • The auto-tankers were obtained from local waterworks company and from the Belgrade Waterworks as well • Two thirds of Belgrade water-truck capacities were engaged in Obrenovac THE EVOLUTION OF PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS • It was also quite a challenge to ensure an adequate filling points/sources for auto-tankers

• There were not so many options and EMHQ had decided that the tankers (trucks) will be filled with the water from Belgrade water supply system, which is 30 km away from Obrenovac THE EVOLUTION OF PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

• The inability of the required number of auto-tankers with safe water to arrive in the town, because of the large traffic congestion/bottlenecks (police checkpoints, disinfection-barriers ...) at all of the 6 road accesses!!! Special auto-tankers

• Additionally, eleven special auto tankers had arrived from Bulgaria, as the assistance from neighboring country • They were equipped with exceptionally powerful hosepipe jets • The utilization of all those available tankers had been temporary impossible, due to high levels of surface and groundwater, which prevented any drainage of the water that would have been used for cleaning public surfaces, households or any other private properties as well.

THE EVOLUTION OF PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS • Simultaneous work on the rehabilitation of water supply and sewage systems • Provision of the stationary reservoirs/tanks for drinking water (built with solid material as well as the other ones –so-called, "flexi-tanks") • Problems in their use (disinfection, protective talk ...) • Establishment of a regular monitoring of the chlorine residual and basic quality parameters ("A" examination) of the water in these tanks • Closed city and controlled entry and exit of citizens during daylight hours, only for cleaning and preparation for disinfection

SOLUTION FOR ONE PART OF THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND

• Solution found – engaging of international teams for on-site water purification (mobile water treatment plants) - purification to the level of drinking water quality!!! THE PROCEDURE (MECHANISM) 1. The needs, regarding priorities, have been reported to the Ministry of Health and forwarded to the National emergency management headquarters 2. National emergency management headquarters recommended to Government of the Republic of Serbia to submit the request for assisatance to EU 3. The request has been submitted and distributed to the EU members (Civil Protection Mechanism) 4. As a result, teams (moduls) from Germany, Hungary and France were sent to Serbia THE EVOLUTION OF PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

• German Federal Agency for Technical Relief – THW • Searching for a suitable location • Location found – the former military barracks, along the bank of the Sava river, where they can abstract raw water for further treatment • The standards for drinking water quality were met completely – even for regular occasions.

• (Beside Obrenovac, regarding priorities, teams/moduls were also deployed where it was most needed – in and Paraćin) THE EVOLUTION OF PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS • Hungarian team was placed also along the Sava River, but on the outskirts of the city, towards powerplant TENT A • THW produce up to 80 m3 of purified water per day • Together, the German and Hungarian team produce over 100 m3 of purified water per day, which fully meets the daily needs for distribution to households, as well as for the cleaning of the streets and public areas! • The problem was solved! Tankers were filled within the city! THE EVOLUTION OF PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS • The supreme sanitation challenge was repairing of severely damaged main sewer collector, because no company in Serbia was able to produce the collector of such a capacity and dimensions. • Finally, there had been found German company which was able to produce and deliver required collector in eight days and it finally solved the problem! EVOLUTION OF SOLUTIONS – MEDIUM-TERM TO LONG-TERM

• Solving of those main challenges, along with decreasing of surface and groundwater levels, led to the beginning of the step-by-step rehabilitation of water supply and sewage system and to cleaning of the town.

CHALLENGE(S)

• WHO have donated 6 water treatment plants (with no detailed specifications given in advance!) • Ministry of Interior gave an assistance to manage importing procedures as well as to store donated equipment • The presence of experienced foreign teams was used for commissioning (putting into operation) and testing of donated mobile water treatment plants CHALLENGE(S)

• It turns out that the donated devices could not find their full application in Serbian conditions, and circumstances, because they are designed for use in much worse and uncontrolled conditions (not fully controlable/governable dosage of chemicals – coagulants, flocculants and disinfectants; there were no sedimentation/precipitation tanks)

CHALENGES

• There are no capacities in Serbia for on–site purification of water – no mobile water treatment plant exists in Serbia

• Insufficient reservoir/tank space for water storage in flat areas near the rivers, which could serve in occasions when the water source area is flooded CHALENGES

• High vulnerability of water supply and sewer networks, due to aging of the pipes and obsolete type of materials used for network constructions (cement–asbestos pipes)

• Funding insufficient to ensure adequate stock of spare and replacement parts of the water supply and sewer systems, as well CHALENGES

• Deficient water and sanitation safety planning in the context of preparedness for extreme weather events and disasters

• Full implementation of National Disaster Risk Management Programme, which is fully harmonized with Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 CONCLUSIONS

• This event was a good example of an integrated inter-sectoral and international cooperation and collaboration in recovery and reestablishment of the main urban functions after severe impairment caused by extreme natural event. • Also, this experience was a great test of functionality of the existing preparedness and response plans and procedures in Serbia. CONCLUSIONS

• There was a clearly identified need for the holistic approach in water and sanitation safety planning in the context of preparedness for extreme weather events and disasters • Lessons learned from this case are the good basis for the improvement, enhancement and strengthening of the legal framework and whole emergency management system. CONCLUSIONS

• Nevertheless, it is worth to note that no safety or emergency plan could be designed for this scale of extreme event! Institute of Public Health of Serbia “Dr Milan Jovanović Batut”

•THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!