BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA ShEET 1. CONTROL NUMBER 1Z.sUJCr CLASSnCATION BILIOs,-A-,HIC DAA (695) PN-AAJ-194 AP10-0000-G240 &TITLE AND SUBTITLE Rural (240) water supply and sanitation programs in Tunisia 4. fERSONAL AUTHORS (100) McJunkin., F. E. 5. CORPORATE AUTHORS (101) Am. Public Health Assn. 6. DOCJMENT DATE (110) I7.NUMBER OF PAGES (120) 1976 .ARC NUMBER (170) 8 2p. TS614.772,M152 9. REFEF ENCE ORGANIZATION (150) APHA 10. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES (500) I1.ABSTRACT (950) 12. DESCRVTORS (920) S PROJECT NUMBER (isO) Tunisia Rural water supply Sanitation 931092800 Pumps Appropriate technology Wells WUter supply Technology choiee 14. CONTACr NO.140) I& OONYRMI AID/c sd-3423 TM (14) 16. TVm OF C mmr (1 ITS AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION Dvision of International Health Programs 1015 Eighteenth Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 aI lI I7I RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION PROGRAMS ASSISTED BY THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID) IN TUNISIA A Report to The DIVISION OF INTERNATIONAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION 1015 Eighteenth Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 BY F. Eugene McJunkin Vice President Environmental Services Corporation P.O. Box 2427 Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514 USA May 4, 1976 RURAL WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION PROGRAMS IN TUNISIA Prepared by: F. Eugene McJunkin During the Period: April 1 to April 17, 1976 Published by: AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION In Agreement with: United States Agency for International Development Authorized under: Contract AID/csd 3423 a4 0 A 4tL3 CFFICr 80X 7 April 30,'1976 Dr. Malcolm H. Merrill Director Division of International Health Programs American Public Health Association 1015 Eighteenth Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 Sir: Transmitted herewith is my report on "Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programs Assisted by the United States Agency for Inter­ national Development (USAID) in Tunisia", based on my consultancy in Tunisia from April 4 to April 17. I briefed AID/Tunisia on this report on April 16 and am ten­ tatively scheduled to brief AID/Washington on May 4. I appreciate this opportunity to be of service. Respectfully, F. Eugene M un 9in P :Vice Preside. j. .. " . < -r~f - i-i,-­ , Iiiu = _._ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my appreciation to all those who gave so generously and graciously of their time and knowledge during this consul­ tancy and especially to John Alden, AID/Wash­ ington, John W. Macdonald, AID/Tunisia, and George H. Radcliffe, CARE/Tunisia. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Description Pae Letter of Transmittal Acknowledgements iii EXECUTIVE SUMNARY V INTRODUCTION 1 APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY 4 SILIANA RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT 12 REVIEW OF CARE RURAL WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS 24 TUNISIAN CAPABILITY TO MANUFACTURE THE AID/BATTELLE 29 HAND PUMP ALTERNATE APPROACHES TO WASTE DISPOSAL IN TUNISIAN 32 VILLAGES ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH COMPONENTS OF OTHER PROGRAMS 36 PROJECTED BY AID ANNEXES A. Itinerary of F. Eugene McJunkin A-i B. Individual Contacts B-I C. Maintenance of Hand Pumps C-I D. Local Manufacture of Leather Cup Seals D-I E. Jar Type Well Chlorinators E-i F. Sanitary Survey Checklist F-i G. Pneumatic Measurement of Water Levels in Deep Wells G-1 H. Measurement of the Health Benefits of Investments H-I in Water Supply iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report is a consultant's review, analysis, and recom­ mendations regarding Tunisian rural water supply and sanitation programs assisted by USAID/Tunisia through operational program grants (OPG's) to CARE/MEDICO/Tunisia, a private voluntary organiza­ tion (PVO). The report evaluates and approves the appropriateness of the technology used in these projects. The water sources used are pro­ tected springs and rehabilitated dug wells equipped with hand pumps. A new hand pump, developed, manufactured, and successfully used in Tunisia is described. Problems and methods of hand pump mainten­ ance are described in detail. Eight possible rural water supply and sanitation activities are recommended as components in a rural development project under con­ sideration in the newly formed Siliana Governorate. Past performance of CARE/MEDICO/Tunisia on similar Tunisian pro­ jects is reviewed and CARE is recommended as a potential grantee on the Sil~ana project and a possible similar project in Kairouan Govern­ orate. CARE has rehabilitated some 500 Tunisian wells and springs and installed 400 hand pumps over the past 4 years. AID/Tunisia has contributed 1/3 of the $1.3 million capital costs. A Tunisian foundry, SOFAMECA, was found to be capable of manu­ facturing the AID/Battelle hand pump, now in the prototype stage and needing field testing. Pit and aqua privies were found to be the most appropriate ex­ cretd disposal alternatives in rural areas in Tunisia. When sewers are provided in villages and vastEwater treatment is required, oxida­ tion ponds and land disposal of w:astewaters are appropriate alter­ v natives. Six annexes provide technical information in some detail. vi INTRODUCTION Background By letter of March 16, 1976 from Dr. Malcolm H. Merrill, M.D., Director, Division of International Health Program, American Public Health Association (APHA), F. Eugene McJunkin was commissioned as an APHA consultant to assess "rural environmental sanitation in Tunisia" under terms of an APHA contract with the Agency for Inter­ national Development (Contract No. AID/csd 3423). Scope of Work The scope of work for this consultancy of approximately two weeks as outlined by Dr. Merrill and reflecting earlier communications with AID/Washington and AID/Tunisia included the following: 1.;."To assess the appropriateness of technology tried in village water supply programs in Tunisia in relation to costs, opera­ ting issues, maintenance, replication, making observations and where appropriate recommendations as to how these programs might be extended and improved." 2. "To examine alternate approaches to waste disposal that can best be adapted to the Tunisian village conditions." 3. "To ascertain if there is capability, private or public, in Tunisia to cast and machine the Battelle hand pump."* 4. "To investigate the possibility of health components of other programs projected by USAtD." ** The consultant's scope of work and itinerary were more speci­ fically defined at the consultant's initial briefing session with AID/Tunisia staff, including the acting mission director, program officer, rural development officer, material resources officer and The "Battelle hand pump" was developed at Battelle Memorial Insti­ tute, Columbus, Ohio, with AID/TA/H fundiing. AID/TA/H seeks to identify possible sites for field testing. ** The consultant's itinerary is outlined in Annex A. 2 others. The following mission needs were emphasized, in approxi­ mate order of priority: 1. Because of the prospects of an AID--assisted rural water supply and sanitation component in the proposed Siliana Province Rural Development Project, the consultant's find­ ings and recommendations should focus on this project, including specific recommendations. ** 2. Because CARE/Tunisia is under consideration for an Operational Program Grant (OPG) to undertake the rural water supply and sanitation component in the proposed Siliana Project and is also seeking support for similar activities in Kairouan Province (or Governorate), the consultant's assessment of CARE/Tunisia's ability to successfully carry out such a project is sought. 3. Implicit in the preceding is an evaluation of CARE/ Tunisia's performance in previous rural water supply and sanitation projects. These include projects in the following provinces (governorates): El Kef, Bizerte, and Sfax.*** 4. Similar evaluation of CARE/Tunisia for an operational program grant in Kairouan governorate. 5. Evaluation of Tunisian ability to manufacture the Battelle pump as previously outlined. 6. Evaluation of oxidation ponds as an appropriate waste water treatment technology for Tunisia, including, if time allowed, an inspection of the ponds at Maxula-Rades. (Time did not allow this visit.) During the course of the consultancy, certain needs of CARE and the Ministry of Public Health for technological information arose. Most answers were provided on the spot and several are supplemented or amplified in this report. Because of its lirited interest to general readers this information is reproduced in the Annexes as Complete names, titles, atfiliations, dates and locations of all individuals contacted are listed in Annexes A and B. Cooperative for American Relief Everywhere, headquartered in New York. CARE operations in Tunisia also include a medical compo­ nent, MEDICO. English and French transliteration of Arabic names varies greatly. Sfax, for example, is also spelled Safaquis; El Kef as Al Kaf; Siliana as Silyanah, etc. 3 follows: Annex C: Maintenance of Hand Pumps Annex D: Local Manufacture of Leather Cup Seals Annex E: Jar Type Well Chlorinators Annex F: Sanitary Survey Checklist Annex G: Pneumatic Measurement of Water Levels in Deep Wells Annex H: Measurement of the Hez7lth Benefits of Investments in Water Supply 4 APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY The consultant was directed "to assess the appropriateness of technology tried in village water supply programs in Tunisia in re­ lation to costs, operating issues, maintenance, replication, making observations and where appropriate recommendations as to how these programs might be extended and improved." Costs Limited funding is the major constraint on expansion of rural water supply services in Tunisia. This limitation is compounded by the wide dispersement of the rural population, thereby denying econo­ mies of scale. A third important limitation is the nonavailability of electric power in many areas. These limitations constrain the level of service provided, the water quality standard to be met and the quantity of water to be provided. The level of service chosen by CARE/Tunisia in its water supply projects has provided for central water points consisting of a pro­ , tected spring or dug well equipped with a hand pump. These install­ ations serve an average user population of 100 to 250 (CARE estimate) to 650 (Ministry of Public Health estimate) and cost about $2,500 each, on the average.