29-03-2021 | di COOPI

Sudan, emergency water distribution for Tigray refugees

Since the end of November 2020, COOPI has started to provide drinking water (filtered and chlorinated) to refugees from Tigray (Ethiopia) stationed at the Hamdayet Reception Center (Sudan) by pumping water from the river and transporting it by tankers to the 5 emergency bags provided by UNICEF.

The intervention was made possible thanks to funds made available by AICS (Italian Agency for Development Cooperation) through the project "Emergency initiative to improve access to water and food security, management of natural resources and environmental protection in the state of Kassala".

The amount of water transported varies depending on the number of people present by calculating 7.5 l per person per day, as set internationally by the standards for emergency. In the month of December 2020, 1,580 cubic meters of drinking water were provided for a daily average of 50,968 liters for 6,796 refugees. In the month of January 2021, 2,840 cu m of potable water was provided for a daily average 91,613 liters for 12,215 refugees.

The service is provided mainly through the use of two tanker trucks with a total capacity of about 16,000 liters per day (two water runs every day). In addition, there are 3 water tractors with a total loading capacity of approximately 30,000 liters per day (each tractor makes 5 water runs each day).

These efforts have been made possible through support and coordination with other donors, particularly the European Humanitarian Aid (DG ECHO) and the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF).

The water so far has all been treated with chlorine and its quality constantly monitored thanks to accurate sample tests and the UNCHR Water Test. Both have confirmed that the water is safe and drinkable.