Training on emergency water filtration kit to ensure safe drinking water in Assam

Half-day training on emergency water treatment in humanitarian response programs was conducted by Caritas India in collaboration with UNICEF, Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) and Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) at the NEDFi Convention Centre in Guwahati, Assam on 13^th December 2022.

Calling upon the stakeholders and participants to find ways of introducing Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sustainability, Shri G. D Tripathi, IAS, Chief Executive Officer ASDMA in his keynote address stressed on resilience as a non-negotiable feature by design. He highlighted the importance of implementing the DRR Roadmap in true spirit in the WASH sector as dedicated funding will be made available this financial year. He advocated for implementing at-scale solutions for improving access to safe and equitable water for people affected by disasters.

The training was facilitated by expert Resource Persons from Aquaplus Water Purifiers (Pvt) Ltd from Pune, Maharashtra, who are the makers of the Aquaplus AP700CL emergency water filtration kit.
The participants were oriented on the tools and processes for emergency water treatment including the use of various available water treatment units designed for emergencies. The training was part of pre-position such emergency water treatment units on a pilot basis in 10 flood prone districts to support the districts in ensuring that flood affected people have access to safe drinking water.

Under the WASH response program that Caritas India is currently implementing in partnership with UNICEF in Assam, 4 of these units have been procured for deployment and use during the next emergency.

The main objectives of the training were:

1. To orient the participants on WASH preparedness and response for emergencies, Sphere Standards and Core Commitments.
2. To familiarize participants on the use of the AP 700 CL Water Treatment Kit, and
3. To demonstrate the assembly, operation, maintenance, and deployment of the AP 700 CL Water Treatment Kit.

The inaugural session was attended by dignitaries including Dr. Madhulika Jonathan – Chief, Unicef Assam Field Office, Shri G. D Tripathi, IAS CEO, ASDMA, and Lakshyeswar Goswami, Superintendent Engineer, PHED and Ms. Babita Pinto, Chief Operation Lead, Caritas India.

A total of 55 participants including a mix of District Project Officers (DPOs), Project Officers (POs) and Field Officers from District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), and Assistant Engineers from PHED of districts including Hojai, Barpeta, Dhemaji, Majuli, Dhubri, Baksa, Dibrugarh, Morigaon and Lakhimpur.