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Checklist

  1.1.  

How many people are affected and where are they ?

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  1.2.  

Disaggregate the data by sex, age, disability and so on.

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  1.3.  

What are people´s likely movements ?

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  1.4.  

What are the security factors for the affected people and for potential relief responses ?

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  1.5.  

What are the current, prevalent or possible WASH-related diseases ?

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  1.6.  

Who are the key people to consult or contact ?

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  1.7.  

Who are the vulnerable people in the population and why ?

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  1.8.  

Is there equal access for all to existing facilities, including at public place, health centres and schools ?

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  1.9.  

What special security risks exist for women, girls, boys and men ?

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  1.10.  

At-risk groups ?

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  1.11.  

What water, sanitation and hygiene practices were the population accustomed to before the crisis ?

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  1.12.  

What are the formal and informal power structures ( for example, community leaders, elders, women´s groups ) ?

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  1.13.  

How are decisions made in households and in the community ?

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  1.14.  

Is there access to local markets ?

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  1.15.  

What key WASH goods and services were accessible in the market before the crisis and are accessible during the crisis ? 

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  1.16.  

Do people have access to cash and / or credit ?

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  1.17.  

Are there seasonal variations to be aware of that may restrict access or increase demands on labour during harvesting time, for example ?

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  1.18.  

Who are the key authorities to liaise and collaborate with ?

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  1.19.  

Who are the local partners in the geographical area, such as civil society groups that have similar capacity in WASH and community engagement ? 

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   #   

General.

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  2.1.  

Describe the current situation with regard to Water Supply.

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  2.2.  

What is the input from local authorities ?

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  2.3.  

What is the input from other agencies ?

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   #   

Quantity.

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  2.4.  

How much water is available per person per day ?

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  2.5.  

Is there equitable access to it ?

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  2.6.  

How much water is available at the sources ?

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  2.7.  

What is the daily and weekly frequency of the water supply availability ?

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  2.8.  

Is the water available at the source sufficient for short terms and longer term needs for all groups ?

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  2.9.  

What may affect this ( e.g. seasonability ) ?

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  2.10.  

Does a provision for drinking water for livestock need to be considered ?

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  2.11.  

In the event of rural displacement, what is the usual source of water for livestock ?

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   #   

Quality.

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  2.12.  

What is the current water supply source and who are the present users ?

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  2.13.  

How does the host population access water and ensure that its water is safe at the point of use ?

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  2.14.  

is the water source contaminated or at risk of contamination ( microbiological, chemical or radiological ) ?

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  2.15.  

Is there a water treatment system in place ?

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  2.16.  

Is treatment necessary ?

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  2.17.  

Is treatment possible ?

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  2.18.  

What type of treatment is necessary ?

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  2.19.  

Is disinfection necessary ?

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  2.20.  

Does the community have problems with water palatability and acceptance associated with chlorine taste and smell ?

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  2.21.  

Are there alternative sources of water nearby ?

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   #   

Accessibility.

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  2.22.  

How far are water collection points from where people live ?

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  2.23.  

Are they safe ?

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  2.24.  

Is the current water supply reliable ?

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  2.25.  

How long will it last ?

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  2.26.  

Are there any problems of accessibility for vulnerable groups, e.g. elderly, disabled, women ?

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  2.27.  

Are there any legal or other obstacles to using the available or new water supply sources ?

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  2.28.  

What are the alternatives if water sources are inadequate ?

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  2.29.  

Is it possible to move the population if water sources are adequate ?

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  2.30.  

Do people buy water ?

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  2.31.  

If so where, at what cost and for what purposes ?

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  2.32.  

Has this access ( the cost, quality, regularity of delivery ) changed ?

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  2.33.  

What do people use to transport water ?

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  2.34.  

Do people have enough suitable water containers for collection ?

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  2.35.  

Will there be any environmental effects due to possible water supply intervention, abstraction and use of water sources ?

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  2.36.  

What other users are currently using the water sources ?

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  2.37.  

Is there a risk of conflict if the sources are utilised for new populations ?

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  2.38.  

What opportunities are there to collaborate with the private and / or public sector in water provision ?

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  2.39.  

What bottlenecks and opportunities exist that could inform the response analysis and recommendations ?

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  2.40.  

What operation and maintenance duties are necessary ?

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  2.41.  

What capacity is there to fulfil them in the short and long term ?

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  2.42.  

Who shall be accountable for them ?

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  2.43.  

Is there an existing or potential finance mechanism or system that can recover the operation and maintenance costs ?

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   #    

Storage.

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  2.44.  

Is water likely to be contaminated during transportation and / or storage ?

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  2.45.  

If so, why ?

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  2.46.  

Do people have enough water containers of the appropriate size and type for storage ?

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  2.47.  

Is there a possibility of contamination during transport and storage due to containers currently in use ?

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  2.48.  

What traditional beliefs and practices relate to the collection, storage and use of water ?

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   #    

Technical options.

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  2.49.  

Why is the existing water supply inadequate ?

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  2.50.  

What do the local people believe is the best technical solution ?

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  2.51.  

Why ?

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  2.52.  

Is there a piped network that can be expanded ?

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  2.53.  

Is rainwater harvesting possible, in terms of rainfall abundance and cultural acceptance ?

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  2.54.  

Are there any springs that can be used ?

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  2.55.  

What other options are available ?

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   #   

General.

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  3.1.  

Is the environment free of faeces ?

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  3.2.  

If there is open defecation, is there a designated area ?

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   #   

Facilities.

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  3.3.  

Are there any existing facilities for excreta disposal ?

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  3.4.  

If so, are they used ?

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  3.5.  

Are they sufficient ?

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  3.6.  

Are they operating successfully ?

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  3.7.  

Can they be extended or adapted ?

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  3.8.  

Is there equitable access to the existing facilities ?

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  3.9.  

Are there facilites for hand-washing ?

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 3.10. 

Are there problems for accessibility for vulnerable groups e.g. elderly, disabled, women ?

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  3.11.  

Are the facilities safe and dignified : lighted, equipped with locks, privacy screens ?

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  3.12.  

Can people access the toilet facilities during the day and night ?

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  3.13.  

If not at night, what are the alternatives ?

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  3.14.   

What excreta management practices does the host population practice ?

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  3.15.  

What is the local preferred method for anal cleansing ?

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  3.16.  

Is the current defecation practice a threat to water supplies ( surface or groundwater ) or living areas and to the environment in general ?

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  3.17.  

Are there any social - cultural norms to consider in the design of the toilet ?

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  3.18.  

Are people familiar with the design, construction and use of toilets ?

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  3.19.  

Are there materials or water available for anal cleansing ?

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  3.20.  

How do people normally dispose of these materials ?

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  3.21.  

Do people wash their hands after defecation and before food preparation and eating ?

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  3.22.  

Are soaps or other cleansing materials with water available next to the toilet or within the hosehold ?

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  3.23.  

How do women and girls manage menstruation ?

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  3.24.  

Are there appropriate materials or facilities available for this ?

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  3.25.  

Are there any specific facilities or equipment available for making sanitation accessible for persons with disabilities, people living with HIV, people living with incontinence or people immobile in medical facilities ?

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  3.26.  

What local materials are available for constructing toilets ?

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  3.27.  

Is there and existing acceptance of an and practice for composting ?

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  3.28.  

From what age do children start to use the toilet ?

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   #    

Technical aspects.

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  3.30.  

What is the slope of the terrain and what are the drainage patterns ?

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  3.31.  

What is the depth and permeability of soil and can it be dug easily by hand ?

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  3.32.  

What is the level of the groundwater table ?

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  3.33.  

What local materials are available for constructing toilets ?

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  3.34.  

When does the seasonal rainfall occur ?

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  3.35.  

Will it affect the construction or functionality of new latrines ?

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  3.36.  

Are soil conditions suitable for onsite excreta disposal ?

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  3.37.  

Have environmental considerations been assessed : for example, the extraction of raw materials such as sand and gravel for construction purposes, and the protection of the environment from faecal matter ?

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  3.38.  

Are there skilled workers in the community, such as masons or carpenters and unskilled labourers ?

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  3.39.  

Are there available pit emptiers or desludging trucks ?

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  3.40.  

Is there sufficient space for new facilities ?

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  3.41.  

Currently, is the collected faecal waste disposed of appropriately and safely ?

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  3.42.  

What is the appropriate strategy for management of excreta - inclusive of containment, emptying, treatment and disposal ?

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   #   

Drainage.

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  4.1.  

Does flooding occur ?

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  4.2.  

What impact does it have ?

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  4.3.  

Do people have the means to protect their shelters and latrines from local flooding ?

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  4.4.  

Are there any stagnant pools of standing water ?

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  4.5.  

What are the existing methods of disposing water from : water points, domestic wastewater from washing utensils, bathrooms, laundry, etc. and livestock ?

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  4.6.  

Is there enough slope or drainage facilities for disposal of stormwater ?

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  4.7.  

Are water-points and laundry and bathing areas well drained ?

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  4.8.  

Are soil conditions suitable for onsite or offsite management of problem water from water-points and laundry and bathing areas ?

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  4.9.  

Has a soil percolation test been carried out ?

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  5.1.  

Is accumulated solid waste a problem ?

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  5.2.  

How do people dispose of their waste ?

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  5.3.  

What type and quantity of solid waste is produced ?

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  5.4.  

Can solid waste be disposed of onsite or does it need to be collected and disposed offsite ?

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  5.5.  

What is the normal waste disposal practice for affected people ( for example, compost and / or refuse pits, collection system, bins ) ?

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  5.6.  

Are there medical facilities and activities producing waste ?

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  5.7.  

How is it disposed of ?

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  5.8.  

Who is responsible ?

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  5.9.  

Where are disposable sanitary materials disposed of ( for example, children´s nappies, menstruation hygiene materials and incontinence materials ) ?

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  5.10.  

Is their disposal discreet and effective ?

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  5.11.  

What is the effect of the current solid waste disposal on the environment ?

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  5.12.  

What solid waste management capacity do the private and public sectors have ?

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  6.1.  

Is there an understanding of the relationship between water-sanitation and disease ?

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  6.2.  

What behaviours might be contributing to risks to public health ?

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  6.3.  

What water, sanitation and hygiene practices were people accustomed to before the crisis ?

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  6.3.1.  

Washing hands after defecation ?

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  6.3.2.  

Method of disposal of children´s faeces ?

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  6.3.3.  

Practices for storage and handling of water ?

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  6.3.4.  

Practices of storage and handling of food ?

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  6.3.5.  

How people dispose their solid waste ?

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  6.4.  

Do people have access to : 

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  6.4.1.  

Lidded water containers.

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  6.4.2. 

Cooking utensils.

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  6.4.3.  

Bathing facilities.

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  6.4.4.  

Soap.

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  6.4.5.  

Menstrual sanitary protection.

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  6.4.6.  

Mosquito nets.

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  6.5.  

Are the users involved in the management and maintenance of water sources and latrines ?

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  6.6.  

What existing practices are harmful to health, who practise these and why ?

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  6.7.  

Who still practises positive hygiene behaviour and what enables and motivates them to do this ?

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  6.8.  

Are there any traditional beliefs and practices related to hygiene ( for example, during the Haiti cholera outbreak the disease was associated with voodoo culture ) ?

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  6.9.  

Are any of these beliefs or practices either useful or harmful ?

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  6.10.  

What are the key hygiene issues related to water supply ?

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  6.11.  

Do people have the means to use water hygienically ?

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  6.12.  

What are the advantages and disadvantages of any proposed changes in practice ?

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  6.13.  

What are the existing formal and informal channels of communication and outreach ( such as community health workers, traditional birth attendants, traditional healers, clubs, cooperatives, churches and mosques ) ?

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  6.14.  

What access to the mass media is there in the area ( for example, radio, television, video, newspapers ) ?

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  6.15.  

What local media organisations and / or nongovernmental organisations ( NGOs ) are there ?

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  6.16.  

Which segments of the population can and should be targeted ( for example, mothers, children , community leaders, religious leaders ) ?

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  6.17.  

What type of outreach system would work in this context ( for example, community hygiene volunteers or workers or promoters, school health clubs, WASH committees ) for both immediate and medium term mobilisation ?

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  6.18.  

What are the learning needs of hygiene promotion staff and community outreach workers ?

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  6.19.  

What nonfood items are available and what are the most urgently needed based on preferences and needs ?

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  6.20.  

Where do people access markets to buy their essential hygiene items ?

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  6.21.  

Has this access ( cost, diversity, quality ) changed since the crisis ?

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  6.22.  

How do households access their essential hygiene items ? 

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  6.23.  

Who makes the decisions regarding which items to buy and prioritise ?

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  6.24.  

How effective are hygiene practices in healthcare settings ( particularly important in epidemic situations ) ?

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  6.25.  

What are the needs and preferences of women and girls for menstrual hygiene practices ?

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  6.26.  

What are the needs and preferences of people living with incontinence ?

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  7.1.  

Do current excreta disposal arrangements encourage vectors ?

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  7.2.  

What are the vector-borne disease risks and how serious are they ?

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  7.3.  

What daily or seasonal patterns do local vectors follow in relation to reproduction, resting and feeding ?

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  7.4.  

Are there traditional beliefs and practices ( for example, the belief that dirty water causes malaria ) that relate to vectors and vector-borne disease ?

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  7.5.  

Are any of these beliefs or practices either useful or harmful ?

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  7.6.  

If vector-borne disease risks are high, do people at risk have access to individual protection ?

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  7.7.  

Is it possible to make changes to the local environment ( especially  by, for example, drainage, scrub clearance, excreta disposal, solids waste disposal ) to inhibit vector breeding ?

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  7.8.  

Is it necessary to control vectors by chemical means ?

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  7.9.  

What programmes, regulations and resources exist regarding the use of chemicals for vector control ?

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  7.10.  

What information and safety precautions need to be provided to households ?

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Guidelines

# 042

AECID - FLASH - Manual de requerimientos mínimos en WASH en emergencias - ( in Spanish ).  

Format : 

Book chapter

Year : 

2.012

Pages :

10

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# 294

ICRC - IFRC - Guideline for Assessment in Emergencies.

Format : 

Guide.

Year : 

2.018

Pages :

128

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# n.a.

OXFAM - Rapid Integrated Emergency Assessment.

Format : 

Form.

Year : 

2.015

Pages :

2

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# 449

OXFAM - Minimum Requirements for WASH Programmes.

Format : 

Guide.

Year : 

2.013

Pages :

56

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# 602

SPHERE - Sphere Standards - Handbook 2.018 -- ( pages 139 -- 143 ).

Format : 

Standards.

Year : 

2.018

Pages :

458

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# n.a.

UNHCR - WASH Manual - Practical Guidance for Refugee Settings.

Format : 

Guide.

Year : 

2.018

Pages :

71

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# 636

UNHCR - WASH Manual - Tools and Guidance for Refugee Settings.

Format : 

Chapter.

Year : 

2.014

Pages :

24

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Videos

# 207

EAWAG - EPFL - ICRC - Course : Public Health Engineering in Humanitarian Contexts.

2.2. Assessment of Needs and Planning Cycle.

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Year : 

2.018

Duration :

7 minutes.

Video

# 209

EAWAG - EPFL - ICRC - Course : Public Health Engineering in Humanitarian Contexts.

2.3b. Responding to Emergencies.

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Year : 

2.018

Duration :

5 minutes.

Video

# n.a.

IFRC - Approach for Emergency Needs Assessment.

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Year : 

2.018

Duration :

5 minutes.

Video

# 069

OXFAM - Community Engagement - How it works in practice.

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Year : 

2.020

Duration :

3 minutes.

Video

# 072

OXFAM - Sanitation in Emergencies - How to consult the user.

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Year : 

2.019

Duration :

13 minutes.

Video
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