Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted a study for the purpose of data collection of water quality management and realized the effectiveness of the rehabilitated water station, which could deliver safe water to 700,000 end users. The study also found that the operating staff’s knowledge and capacity in handling chlorine was improved, and their safety and well-being were ensured through the technical workshop organized by Ministry of Energy and Water (MoEW). The pilot project in the study included the use of a locally manufactured and tailor-made neutralization system for the first time that automatically treats any accidental leakage of the hazardous chlorine gas, and that is set off through a built-in detection system and a sound alarm.
On 27 September 2019, in the presence of representatives from the Embassy of Japan, MoEW, and Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Establishment (BMLWE), JICA handed over the fully rehabilitated chlorination station at Ain El Sheikh, Metn. The new system assured the safety of the front-liners in handling chlorine and that of the end user by the supplying a continuously calibrated dose of chlorine in the drinking water.
The study was initiated by Ms. Mirvat Kraydieh, Head of the Water Quality Control Unit at MoEW, who is a former trainee of JICA Group and Region-Focused Training in Japan and one of the members of JICA Alumni Association in Lebanon (Leba-JICA). Following her training in “Technology for Inspection of Water Pollution in Urban Areas” at Japan’s Sapporo City Institute of Public Health, Ms. Kraydieh wanted to bring her expertise to ensure that the operating staff was applying the essential chlorination procedures in a safe and effective manner. To initiate the study, she and her team, with technical and logistical assistance from BMLWE field engineers, conducted a full assessment at all 86 stations and interviewed the 80 operation staff to check the status of the chlorination equipment, the procedures used, their knowledge of preventive measures and emergency life-saving responses, as well as the challenges they face in their daily operations. All these factors were taken into consideration to prepare the workshop material and to allow BMLWE’s team of engineers to draft revised Terms of Reference and to redesign the chlorination stations accordingly.
The study was a success thanks to the commitment and efforts of the team of engineers, and field coordinators and managers from MoEW and BMLWE, who provided their technical expertise in the planning, execution and monitoring of the civil works. Based on the outcomes from the study, BMLWE could verify the effectiveness of the chlorination system with safety measures. It is expected that the rehabilitated water station will work as model station in the future.
