JEN BLOG: JEN-Afghanistan Water Quality Test

2013.06.20

JEN-Afghanistan Water Quality Test

Water is the most important nutrient of body's which makes up 70- 75% of total body weight.

Afghanistan is one of those countries which has semi-arid climate, which leads to the rapid evaporation of surface water, therefore has shortage of water, Nationwide; the majority of Afghan households do not have access to safe drinking water. Because of unsafe sanitary facilities, water contamination with microbiological, physical and chemical pollutions is a major issue in Afghanistan. Many water sources are contaminated with harmful bacteria such as E. Coli which sickens and kills many people, especially children and the elderly.

The most population of Parwan province has no access to safe drinking water and they are using river water which is much polluted with all kinds of pollutions especially microbiological pollutions and affected the people life especially children and elders.

Therefore JEN has been trying to decrease this problem. In November 2012 ,JEN’s staff received Water Quality Testing Training funded by Japan Plat Form(JPF) in order for JEN to carry out the test and also activated Water Quality Testing –Lab in JEN Charikar office , we have been conducting the water tests in 25 schools in 4 districts in parwan province where JEN had constructed wells and pipe schemes in 2011 and 2012 .

The tests conducted by JEN follow the standards of WHO, WSG and EU. As a result of the bacteriological tests some samples showed that some schools water facilities were contaminated with harmful microbes (which cause Diarrhea) according to WHO and SPHERE standards. We highly recommended that no one can use it without chlorination. After analyzing of WQT-Lab results we have a plan to share this result with Parwan Health Directorate, MRRD and MoE Health department. Then we will follow up this issue to be solved by strengthen their ownership of the beneficiaries after.