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Report on the Field Visit 10Dec2008 (Final report)

Report on the Field Visit

Da Nang City, Vietnam

PROPOSED TWINNING PROGRAM

Manila Water International Solutions (MWIS),

Danang Water Supply Company (DAWACO)

and Environmental Cooperation-Asia (ECO-Asia)

November 17-18, 2008

Submitted by:

Vilma Annabelle Deray

Melissa Adriano


Table of Contents

1. Introduction 2. Brief Description of Project Area

3. Findings and Analysis

a) Raw Water Source b) Treatment Plant c) Distribution d) Others

4. Conclusions/Recommendation 5. Moving Forward


Report on the Field Visit to Da Nang City November 17-18, 2008

INTRODUCTION

The Environmental Cooperation-Asia (ECO-Asia), a project of the United States Agency for

International Development (USAID) Regional Development Mission/Asia (RDM/A) has

initiated a Twinning Program involving the Manila Water Company, Inc. (MWCI), a Utility

Company in the Philippines that provides water and wastewater services to the East Zone of

Metro Manila and Da Nang Water Supply Company (DAWACO), a government corporation

that provides water supply services to the city of Da Nang in Vietnam.

The twinning program is a strategy of ECO-Asia wherein a utility partners with another utility

to share its best practices, core skills and competencies with the objective of: (1) increasing

access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and (2) promoting regional dialogue and

cooperation to share and replicate best practices. ECO-Asia facilitates the arrangement and

transfer of best practices, expertise and technology through peer-to-peer exchanges.

The focus of the proposed Twinning Program between MWCI and DAWACO is on improving

DAWACO’s water quality management processes, especially on maintaining adequate

chlorine residual levels in the water supply distribution network, to safeguard against public

health hazards for at least 2,000 household customers. DAWACO is planning to improve its

water quality management program under the Water Safety Plan framework led by the World

Health Organization (WHO).

As a first step to the Twinning Program, ECO-Asia has scheduled a field visit of MWCI

representatives to Da Nang in November 17-18 with the following objectives:

1. Introduce MWCI to DAWACO operations and staff (and vice versa)

2. Assess current DAWACO operations by MWCI to understand its water quality

management constraints through field visits/discussions, and

3. Begin discussions on MWCI-DAWACO partnerships to assist DAWACO in effectively

managing water quality and safeguarding public health.

The succeeding report provides an account of the two-day visit to Da Nang City by

representatives from MWCI. Since the visit was brief, this report will only provide a

preliminary assessment on the current water supply condition of DAWACO as observed,

gathered and analyzed by the Manila Water representatives through discussions with

DAWACO and ECO-Asia’s counterpart team. Moreover, it will focus particularly on the Cao

Do water supply facilities that include the raw water source, water treatment plant and its

service area affected by the water quality problem.


BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The Project Area. The city of Da Nang is the 4th biggest city in Vietnam next to Ho Chi Min,

Hanoi and Haipong. It is located in the central region about 764km south of Hanoi and

964km south of Ho Chi Min. It has an area of 1,256km2 and an estimated population of

804,000. The city is well-developed and commercialized and is composed of eight (8)

districts. It has diverse geographical features— rivers, mountains, seas, etc. Main industries

include seafood export, tourism, factories and manufacturing plants. Infrastructure facilities

comprise an international airport, port facilities, railways and road networks.

Water Supply Scenario. DAWACO is a government company that provides water supply

services to the city. It supplies 60% of the total water demand

through the operation of three (3) water treatment plants (WTP)

located in various areas of its service area. The WTPs produce a

treated volume of water at 120 million liters per day (mld) or

120,000 cubic meters per day (M3/day). The current water source of

the two (2) treatment plants is the Cam Le River while the other

treatment plant utilizes the water source from a spring.

The total served population is about 453,000 with an

estimated total number of 109,000 service connections.

Consumption per capita as provided is at 150 liters/day,

which is comparable to Manila Water’s average

consumption in its service area.

On the distribution side, DAWACO has more than 2,000

kilometers of pipes which are relatively new in some areas.

Pipe sizes vary from 100mm diameter to 900mm∅. The average Non-Revenue Water (NRW)

is at 35.5% for 2008 but latest figure shows a marked decrease and improvement at 31.3 %.

Average available pressure is at 15psi but differ in some areas. Generally, treated water is

delivered to the distribution areas by gravity except in some areas with higher elevation.

Present Development. DAWACO is upgrading its water treatment plant at Cau Do using

the same source at Cam Le River. From the current capacity of 70mld, it aims to increase

the production level to a capacity of 120mld scheduled to be operational this year. The

treatment process is conventional.


OBSERVATIONS, FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS

We would like to commend the Management Team of DAWACO led by its Director, Engr.

Nguyen Truong Anh, who showed keen interest to Manila

Water’s success story in providing safe and potable water to

its 5 million customers.

Whilst we note that there are areas for improvement on

DAWACO’s water quality management processes, the

managers and key staff of the Cau Do Water Treatment

Plant are adept in the specifics of the facilities. Despite the

language barrier, the WTP Manager was receptive in imparting his knowledge and

experience in the operation of the facilities, His inputs have helped us in coming up with our

preliminary assessment on raw and treated water quality.

Likewise, the team from the Technical Planning Department is very flexible in terms of doing

different functions such as collecting and testing water samples in addition to the planning

works. The team had also shown expertise and knowledge of the distribution system with

respect to pipe sizes, lengths, supply areas, etc which are all necessary to further assess the

quality of water on the distribution side.

DAWACO’s current challenge is on its water quality management, specifically the amount of

residual chlorine of the treated water distributed to its customers which is higher than

standards in some areas near the Water Treatment Plant while lower than standards in some

areas of the distribution system. Both conditions pose hazards to public health. This was

the focus of the 2-day discussions and field visits, to assist DAWACO in addressing its Water

Quality Management

The succeeding paragraphs present our findings and observations during the actual field

visits and water sampling. For a more defined presentation of our report, we have divided

our findings into four (4) areas— Raw Water Source, Treatment, Distribution and Other

Factors all of which, we believe contribute to improving the Water Quality Management

process of DAWACO.

1. Raw Water. The Cau Do Water Treatment Plant abstracts its raw water source from the

nearby Cam Le River through an intake structure and a pond that is directly connected to

a pumping station, where, raw water is conveyed to the WTP located a few meters away.

� The raw water is turbid with a brownish color. We were told

that the turbidity (measured as NTU) varies depending on the

season but the highest so far recorded is 2000 NTU. We note

however, the absence of established daily raw water sampling

and monitoring at the upstream source which will determine in

advance the amount and type of chemicals that will be used

for treatment.


� The raw water abstraction point is close to the mouth of the bay, hence, when the

seawater backflows during high tide, the saline water contaminates the fresh water

from the river. This condition which is predominant during dry season may pose

some problems on the water quality since the WTP was designed for fresh water and

not for brackish water, in which case may require more complex treatment, i.e.

reverse osmosis. We suggest however, for a further assessment on the level of

salinity of raw water for a more conclusive study in this aspect.

� There are no established raw water sampling tests for other parameters, i.e chemical,

heavy metals, etc. We believe that for planning purposes, monitoring the quality of

raw water should be in place. This is most needed especially in cases where there is

a marked deterioration of raw water quality and there are activities upstream of the

river, i.e mining, agriculture, industries, etc. Such information will assist DAWACO in

coming up with a plan to address the deterioration of the raw water quality from the

Cam Le River.

2. Water Treatment Plant. The Cau Do WTP and facilities are situated in an area near the

raw water source. The water treatment plant, chlorine house and chemical house are

located a few distances from each other. The WTP uses a conventional treatment

process. Following are our observations at the Cau Do WTP facilities.

� We note that some equipment for testing and analyzing water

quality performances in the laboratory is not sufficient.

Complete set and well-maintained laboratory equipment is ideal

to minimize errors in determining water quality results.

� Absence of analysis for other parameters i.e. heavy metals,

fecal coliforms, etc. Bacteriological Analysis should be done on a

daily basis to measure potability of the supply being distributed Other

water quality parameters for microbiological, biological, physical,

chemical and radiological requirements also need to be checked

at least once a year. Such results are necessary for a complete

water quality evaluation and quick response to water quality

deterioration if there’s any.

� Obtaining the results is manually done. Existing on-line

measurement for residual chlorine may not be reliable. We also

observed the absence of a control equipment and devices for

measuring other necessary parameters like pH and turbidity

� Greenish water is entering the filter beds which, we suspected

to be high in biological counts such as algae. Small and light

flocs were also seen floating in the basins which, may result to

easy clogging of filter beds and thus, more frequent

backwashing. Some leaks were also noted at the filter bed


water lines. We believe that efficiency of plant operation, i.e. backwashing and

chemical dosing can still be improved. The quality of the settled and filtered water

maybe enhanced by addition of inter-chlorination.

� Field testing equipment like turbidimeter may need calibration.

Blinking lights seen on the turbidimeter and inconsistency of

results may indicate that the equipment needs to be checked

and calibrated to ensure reliable data.

� We also note that there is no standby generator set in the WTP in case of power

interruptions. The long downtime during outages may contribute to contamination

both at the treatment plant and the distribution lines.

3. Water Supply Network

� As claimed, chlorine residual in the distribution network falls below the necessary

WHO standard to maintain adequate water disinfection for pathogens thus,

endangering customers. Some areas far from the water treatment plant had records

of low to zero residual chlorine. Although the results during our field sampling show a

high residual chlorine, the incidence of low chlorine residual may still recur and may

give a positive coliform test results thus; water is not safe to drink

� The varying supply-demand may also result to unstable levels of residual chlorine

especially at the farthest end of the distribution lines. As

confirmed by the DAWACO Engineer, the chlorine levels are

much lower during non-peak demand while higher when

demand is also high. We find the profile of network system a bit

complex as pointed out in the map with different supply points,

thus, isolation of a problem area maybe quite difficult.

� It was also observed that definite procedures on sample collection and reporting of

results are not in place. During the actual sampling conducted on site, we noted that

the procedures are not complying with the WHO standard. In addition, the water

sample collected should be a representative of the water under examination.

Contamination during collection and before examinations should be avoided.

� Criteria for selection and the frequency of sampling and testing are not yet

established. Data showed that the number of sampling points versus the number of

households is not sufficient based on standards. Generally, selection and frequency

of sampling should take into account the size and complexity of the network lines, the

rate of records yielding unsatisfactory results and the risk of epidemic and the

practice of disinfection.

� Some existing water sampling points --plastic faucet near a

kitchen, a water hose lying on the floor and leaking taps are

not within the standards for collecting points. Taps where

samples are collected should likewise be cleaned, free from


attachments and fully opened to allow the water to run for a sufficient time to allow

flushing/cleaning of the service lines.

� The method for testing residual chlorine in the distribution

network can also be upgraded for a more reliable and

accurate results.

� Flushing points and blow offs are not sufficient and not

strategically located to address remedial actions in case of

dirty water complaints.

4. OTHERS FACTORS. The following refer to other items observed and the organization’s

linkages with other agencies to address water quality problems.

� Good housekeeping such as in the laboratory or in critical

areas where the chemicals are stored can still be improved

such as putting signage and provisions for safety.

� Weak approach on responding to reports of dirty water.

CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on our preliminary findings and observations, following are our recommendations. It

has to be recognized that other observations and analysis presented may not be conclusive

therefore we proposed that this be further assessed during the duration of the program. We

will classify our recommendations into Short-Term, Medium-Term and Long-Term based on

the implementation time-frame and the investment requirement.

1. Short-Term. These are stopgap or interim measures that are crucial, thus, need urgent

attention.

� We propose that Flushing and Disinfection be immediately conducted in the affected

line where the residual chlorine is low. This would entail determining the required

chlorine based on the pipe’s supply volume. Modern methods of flushing and

disinfection can be used to reduce its impact to customers.

� Monitoring of residual chlorine level after flushing and disinfection should continue for

a certain period to assess whether the condition has improved or not.

� The provision of a chlorinator shall be done only if there are indications that the

problem is not eliminated after flushing and disinfection, otherwise, this may not be

needed. The chlorinator is usually installed at the injection point, water tank or

reservoir prior to distribution.


� As an alternative and counterchecking of results, we propose to use other method for

determining residual chlorine such as DPD method or use of digital colorimeter to

provide more accurate results.

2. Medium-Term. These are measures or solutions that should be done within 3 months to

one year period

� Cleaning and disinfection of filter beds

� Need to establish policies and SOPs on flushing and disinfection of newly laid pipes,

sample handling, testing, random sampling and sanitary survey based on the WHO

standard.

� Formulate policies and SOPs in cleaning and disinfection of reservoirs, regular

sampling and testing of water reservoirs and pumping stations.

� Establish data for the creation of recommended chemical dosage tables for easy

reference in case of abrupt change in raw water quality. Ideally, the raw water data

should be year-round to capture seasonal changes.

� Set-up procedures on random sampling and sanitary survey to further assess the

source of dirty water quality complaints.

� Set up internal standards and water quality alert levels

� Define criteria for selection of regular sampling points. Through the use of a network

map, the sampling points can be located as a representation of a certain distribution

network.

� Improve sampling collection and handling by training key staff on the proper

procedures

� Purchase monitoring equipment such as turbidimeter, tri-meter, etc. to check color,

pH and turbidity.

� Calibration of field testing equipment to ensure accuracy of results.

3. Long-Term Measures. These are measures or solutions that should be done beyond

the one-year period.

� Acquisition of lab equipment, chemical reagents and sampling paraphernalia

� Process to be in place in analysis, i.e. elimination, isolation, etc

� In case of power outage, there is a need for a continuous supply. Power interruption

may lead to dirty water in the district network. Thus, there is a need for an alternative


power supply, for instance, a standby generator set that will automatically switch on in

case of power outage.

� Strengthen linkage and communication with the Ministry of Health, Han Preventive

Center and other government stakeholders, such as the City Government.

� Creation of a Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Committee composed of (i) all other

water utilities including Dawaco (ii) national water laboratories (iii) Local Government

Units (or its equivalent) (iv) representative from the Ministry of Health

� Setting up of internal standards, e.g. KPIs, TMS

� More proactive approach in responding to dirty water quality complaints by setting up

a procedure in such cases.

� Creation of a separate group/department within the Dawaco organization apart from

the Water Supply Department that will be responsible for management, regulation

and research of water quality data of all point sources

Per discussion, DAWACO has agreed to allocate the necessary funding for key

recommendations to manage safe water quality such as purchase of essential equipment,

hardware, materials to maintain adequate chlorine residual in the distribution network.

Next Steps and expected deadlines

� DAWACO has conveyed interest to partner with MWCI. MWCI needs to confirm by

first week of December. Both partners to sign the Letter of Intent to twin by mid-

December.

� With ECO-Asia facilitation, MWCI and DAWACO will develop a joint work plan from

now until September 2009 incorporating the recommended actions noted above

including clear roles, performance indicators, and necessary resources. MWCI will

provide the technical expertise and practical solutions to assist DAWACO, while

DAWACO will provide the required resources to undertake the activities.

� Upon agreeing on the work plan, DAWACO and MWCI will sign a Memorandum of

Understanding to implement the activities in the work plan and mobilize resources

both in funding from DAWACO and in technical assistance from MWCI. Both

partners will sign the MoU by January 2009.

� Preparatory activities will begin in December after LOI signing, which may include

additional assessments of the DAWACO operations by MWCI.

� With ECO-Asia support, both partners will implement the work plan activities until

September 2009.

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