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WASH Sector Cox’s Bazar Situation Report

NEEDS

Based on the Humanitarian Response Plan the current target of the WASH Sector is 1,166,000, out of which 853,309 are targeted for Water, 914,899 for Sanitation and 1,166,000 for Hygiene. To reduce the public health risk, decommissioning of non-functional latrine has started but still a large number of tube wells and latrines needs to be decommissioned, rehabilitated or relocated. Furthermore in preparation for the Monsoon season additional water points and latrines in high risk of flood or landslide areas need to be decommissioned, in total over 4500 water points and 3700 latrines. Both UNICEF and WHO are conducting systematic water quality checks and sharing information one weekly bases.

RESPONSE

Total estimated people reached with immediate WASH assistance: 785,991 individuals. Collectively the sector have installed 5,742 tube wells, out of which 4,546 are currently functional (79.1%). For sanitation, 44,352 temporary emergency latrines have been built out of which 36,803 are functional (82.97%). 268,809 hygiene kits/NFIs have been distributed in the major spontaneous sites, makeshift settlements, and refugee camps as well as in some nearby host communities. A potential site has been identified to construct a large scale sludge treatment unit which will initially cover over 0.5 million people in Kutupolong mega site. RRRC & DPHE endorsed the location of the site and sludge treatment technology, construction work will be started from next week. In addition to that 2 other small scale sludge treatment unit are also functioning. Sector partners have started mapping out latrines which requires decommissioning or desludging and so far 8% of the latrines have been mapped (with GPS coordinates). The decommissioning of the substandard latrines has started which will improve the sanitation condition in the camps. To improve the sanitation condition of the sites, Bangladesh Army has completed construction of over 9,000 latrine. There is an ongoing discussion to construct additional 5000 latrine and bathing facilities but considering the congestion at the camps the construction work could not be initiated. Based on the 3rd round of water quality testing by WHO, 1794 water samples were tested at source and household (HH) level. The results indicate that 70% of water sources and 19% of HH level samples are safe. Understanding the situation, WASH sector has prioritized hygiene promotion and HH level water treatment but the partners have not been able to scale up the response as required. WASH sector partners received ToT on hygiene promotion through UNICEF, Oxfam and the IFRC support. The training lasted for two days and attended by most of the sector partners (70 participants, 2 per agency). This will assist partners to scale up hygiene promotion activities including household water treatment.

GAPS/CONSTRAINTS

Total estimated gap for immediate WASH services (total needs minus total response): 380,009 individuals. Currently there are 16 zones where the number of latrines compared to population size exceeds the set standard of 50 individuals per latrine. Those zones have been identified and communicated to partners to target with latrine construction.

Funding and authorization for work (FD-7) remains one of the major constraint for the sector partners to scale up and improve the quality of response. Physical access within the new sites is a major concern in scaling up the WASH emergency response. Government with support of the military is working on the construction of these access and link roads to various parts of the camps. With the on-going influx, congestion in the receiving sites is a major concern; overburdening existing facilities; complicating access for emptying latrines is increasing the public health risk in these sites. Water treatment and Faecal sludge management remains a high priority for the WASH Sector.

COORDINATION

The decentralization of the coordination has continued with weekly meetings with the zonal focal points (combined into one meeting) at the newly established ISCG Coordination Hub at Ukhia. The focal points are facilitated through provision of updated zonal data on WASH infrastructure mapping carried out by REACH. The WASH sector strategy and joint response plan (JRP) for the next phase (March 2018 to December 2018) started with partners submitting the preliminary project sheet. The plan is being developed in close consultations with the Government (DPHE, Cox’s Bazar) and expected to be presented by Feb 17th to the ISCG .