Nasavahn (Phase 2)
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Background
Located approximately 40km north of Luang Prabang is the village of Ban Nasavahn. The community is mixed ethnicity, and whilst not a large village, it serves as an education hub for 8 surrounding communities. The number of communities the school serves is likely to increase on completion of the dorm. Accessibility is via a main road from Luang Prabang before a left hand turn takes you to a dirt track. It is approximately 1 hour of travel time via this dirt road that is in very poor condition in places. |
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Current Conditions
As of now, the water supply in Nasavahn is insufficient to provide enough year-round supply to the community. The system in place now was constructed in 2007 and consists of a 2x2x2 metre water holding tank and a pipeline that delivers water from a source 2km outside of the village. There are currently 7 water faucet stations spread amongst the village, however only 3 stations are in full working order. Indeed, the original system was designed to supply only 46 families. Significantly, this work did not factor in the construction of the secondary school which adds a further strain on an already overburdened system
As of now, the water supply in Nasavahn is insufficient to provide enough year-round supply to the community. The system in place now was constructed in 2007 and consists of a 2x2x2 metre water holding tank and a pipeline that delivers water from a source 2km outside of the village. There are currently 7 water faucet stations spread amongst the village, however only 3 stations are in full working order. Indeed, the original system was designed to supply only 46 families. Significantly, this work did not factor in the construction of the secondary school which adds a further strain on an already overburdened system
The Project:
To construct a new water system capable of supplying the village with enough water to meet its current and future needs.
To construct a new water system capable of supplying the village with enough water to meet its current and future needs.
Having conducted an initial environmental survey a new source has been identified and tested 3.4km away from the village. It meets the required standards to be utilised as a source to provide Nasavahn village with a year-round supply of running water.
Pipeline will run from the source to a new holding tank (4x4x4 metre) which will be twice the capacity of the existing tank. Another pipeline will run off the new one and lead to the old holding tank. There is enough water available from the source to supplement the old tank too.
From the tanks the pipelines will re-join and transport water to the faucet stations around the community. Inoperable faucet stations will be renovated as well 4 more faucet stations being constructed. Pipeline will also head direct to the school and dormitory buildings and as well as faucet stations the toilet facilities will be plumbed.
The new dormitory building therefore, will not place any burden on water supply for Nasavahn village as there will be a plentiful amount delivered by this new source. Further, there is need for sanitation work in future, so there is the potential for families with existing toilet facilities to plumb them and their homes. Once sanitation work for households that don’t have a toilet is completed later in the year, these will be plumbed off this new pipeline.
Pipeline will run from the source to a new holding tank (4x4x4 metre) which will be twice the capacity of the existing tank. Another pipeline will run off the new one and lead to the old holding tank. There is enough water available from the source to supplement the old tank too.
From the tanks the pipelines will re-join and transport water to the faucet stations around the community. Inoperable faucet stations will be renovated as well 4 more faucet stations being constructed. Pipeline will also head direct to the school and dormitory buildings and as well as faucet stations the toilet facilities will be plumbed.
The new dormitory building therefore, will not place any burden on water supply for Nasavahn village as there will be a plentiful amount delivered by this new source. Further, there is need for sanitation work in future, so there is the potential for families with existing toilet facilities to plumb them and their homes. Once sanitation work for households that don’t have a toilet is completed later in the year, these will be plumbed off this new pipeline.
Our previous project was to construct a dormitory building. The new water facility will provide this building to remove the water burden for the rest of the community.
Planned Outcomes:
The benefits to the community of a year-round supply or running water will be copious. A community with nowhere near enough water will gain a plentiful supply. What is more, unlike the system constructed in 1997, we can envisage the potential of population growth in the community. Using government data and forecasts we will build a system capable of supplying many more households that may be built over the coming years.
From a purely health perspective the benefits of adequate water supply acts as a preventive intervention, the main outcome is a reduction in the number of episodes of infectious diarrhoea. Stunting will still persist to a degree, as its causes are broader than the aforementioned. However, in tandem with the previous sanitation project, combined with a plentiful supply of water we would hope that there would be medium to long-term improvement in stunting levels within the community.
Non-health benefits are also diverse, from gains that are easily identifiable and quantifiable (costs avoided, time saved) to the more intangible (convenience, well-being).
A specific example would be school attendance as children would be less likely to miss school due to water related illnesses. Therefore, one could assert a child would gain a better education from their community having an above adequate water supply. Their increased attendance due to less prevalence of ill health is measurable, their added comfort of improved health is harder to judge, but we would expect added comfort to improve learning retention within the community.
The benefits to the community of a year-round supply or running water will be copious. A community with nowhere near enough water will gain a plentiful supply. What is more, unlike the system constructed in 1997, we can envisage the potential of population growth in the community. Using government data and forecasts we will build a system capable of supplying many more households that may be built over the coming years.
From a purely health perspective the benefits of adequate water supply acts as a preventive intervention, the main outcome is a reduction in the number of episodes of infectious diarrhoea. Stunting will still persist to a degree, as its causes are broader than the aforementioned. However, in tandem with the previous sanitation project, combined with a plentiful supply of water we would hope that there would be medium to long-term improvement in stunting levels within the community.
Non-health benefits are also diverse, from gains that are easily identifiable and quantifiable (costs avoided, time saved) to the more intangible (convenience, well-being).
A specific example would be school attendance as children would be less likely to miss school due to water related illnesses. Therefore, one could assert a child would gain a better education from their community having an above adequate water supply. Their increased attendance due to less prevalence of ill health is measurable, their added comfort of improved health is harder to judge, but we would expect added comfort to improve learning retention within the community.
Local villagers working to complete the new water holding tank. The 4x4x4 metre tank will greatly enhance the water supply for the village.