INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE HUMANITARIAN UPDATE #9: FIELD

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001743 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP, CA STATE FOR USAID USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA CCHAN, ACONVERY, RTHAYER, AND RMT USAID FOR ANE KROSEN BANGKOK FOR ADWYER NSC FOR CPRATT USUN FOR DMERCADO GENEVA FOR NKYLOH PACOM POLAD/J3/J5 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV CASC ECON EAID SENV ID PHUM AEMR ASEC CASC MARR, PREL, PINR, AMGT, EAID, AQ, LA, RP, TN, VM, WS SUBJECT: INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE HUMANITARIAN UPDATE #9: FIELD ASSESSMENTS INDICATE WASH NOT A CRITICAL NEED AT PRESENT -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. The USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) field officer has assessed the need for emergency water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs following the September 30 earthquake off the coast of West Sumatra. While the earthquake damaged water and sanitation infrastructure, families continue to access water as well as sanitation facilities. Affected populations are continuing the longstanding practice of boiling water, thus reducing the possibility of falling ill from contaminated water. Other cultural practices, including ablutions, also help protect individuals against water-borne diseases. Implementing partners of USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) are conducting programs to promote sound hygiene practices. Interviews with families and field assessments indicate that WASH programs are not among the pressing needs of most earthquake-affected families at the present time. While communities do not rank WASH among priority needs, USAID/OFDA partners will reinforce good WASH behaviors, monitor WASH conditions, and respond as needed. End summary. -------------- WASH Assessment -------------- ¶2. Since arriving in Padang following the September 30 earthquake, the USAID/DART field officer has assessed WASH conditions in 13 villages in Agam, Pariaman, and Padang Pariaman districts. The field officer has met with Government of Indonesia (GoI) representatives, interviewed earthquake-affected families, and assessed physical water points and sanitation infrastructure. In areas assessed, only a few families ranked water or sanitation within their current set of priority needs. -- Water -- ¶3. In pocket areas, the earthquake destroyed or caused extensive damage to houses, roads, schools, and health facilities. In areas where houses were damaged or destroyed, water points -- usually in the form of a well on the family plot -- may also have sustained damaged. Some wells have collapsed, but most of the damage to wells occurred when debris fell into the wells during or after the earthquake. ¶4. In villages assessed by the USAID/DART, families reported using pre-earthquake water points if such water points are still operational. Where pre-earthquake water points are not operational, families rely on water from neighbors' wells or nearby springs. In isolated circumstances, people are retrieving water from rivers. ¶5. When disasters force people to rely on non-traditional water sources, public health concerns arise because of increased potential for water-borne disease. At present in Indonesia, the humanitarian community feels that the use of potentially contaminated water sources is not of critical concern, so long as people continue the practice of boiling water. Indonesians adhere to a long-standing tradition of boiling water prior to consumption. This practice reduces the likelihood of consuming contaminated water, even if the source is potentially contaminated. All families interviewed by the USAID/DART field officer reported continuing to boil water, using either firewood or fuel purchased at the local market, and stated that they will carry on with this practice. ¶6. Market assessments conducted by the USAID/DART indicate that the price of fuel for cooking has not increased since the earthquake. If the price of fuel for cooking were to rise to a point at which families could no longer afford it, and thus would no longer have access to fuel, serious public health consequences could ensue. At this point in time, however, the price of fuel remains steady, and families continue to purchase fuel for boiling water. JAKARTA 00001743 002 OF 002 ¶7. Water trucking services continue in Padang city, where the water network is not yet fully operational following the earthquake. Non-governmental organizations are concerned that water trucking services will cease before the water distribution network is fully restored, thereby leaving families without access to potable water. The USAID/DART will continue to track this issue. -- Sanitation and Hygiene -- ¶8. Household inspections conducted by the USAID/DART field officer indicated that many families use open-mouthed containers to store boiled water. Family members dip hands and buckets into the water, giving rise to the potential for re-contamination of boiled water prior to consumption. The distribution of closed-mouth jerry cans combined with hygiene promotion activities can help address this issue. USAID/OFDA-funded partners are currently implementing such activities. ¶9. The earthquake damaged or destroyed not only the physical structure of houses but also any indoor sanitation structures. Where that has happened, families report using neighbors' latrines. There has been moderate damage reported to outdoor latrines. Families report damage to latrine superstructures and fractures to ceramic bowls and slabs. ¶10. In isolated circumstances, families practice open defecation. The USAID/DART field officer asked families who reported practicing open defecation to show him where they defecated and where they retrieved their water. In all cases, the area of defecation was neither in close proximity to the source of water nor in an area that would create conditions leading to significant public health concerns. ¶11. Hand washing is not a common practice in the assessed areas. However, ablutions prior to prayer help create hygiene behaviors which reduce health risks that typically accompany a lack of hand washing. The importance of hand washing should be included in ongoing hygiene promotion activities throughout the earthquake-affected area. -------------- Conclusion -------------- ¶12. In areas assessed, individuals continue to be able to access water and sanitation infrastructure. Cultural practices including ablutions and boiling water help protect populations from water-borne diseases. Few of the families interviewed ranked water and sanitation with their current set of priority needs. For these and other reasons, the USAID/DART concludes that WASH programs are not among the pressing needs of most earthquake-affected families. Going forward, USAID/OFDA partners will reinforce good WASH behaviors, monitor WASH conditions, and respond as needed. Osius#