Water quality surveillance - a practical guide

This manual is designed for staff that undertake routine field activities related to surveillance of drinking-water supplies in developing countries. It was developed as an output of an urban surveillance programme in Uganda but the information will also be of use in rural drinking water surveillance programmes.

Drinking water surveillance programmes usually collect a wide range of information on water supplies. These include quality of water and sanitary risk, continuity of supply, quantities of water used, cost of water and access to water supply. These different types of information require data collection at different frequencies and using different methods. The quality and continuity of supply require most frequent monitoring. Therefore collection of data on these indicators makes up the bulk of routine field activities and the majority of the material in this manual.

The manual is focused on methods of surveillance in relation to microbiological quality of water as this is of the greatest importance to health. It covers monitoring for a range of water sources and water stored within the home. However, the manual also briefly addresses specific concerns about arsenic, fluoride and nitrate. This manual is most suitable for use in surveillance programmes that utilise on-site testing kits and is geared towards the implementation of programmes that target the poor.

The purpose of the guide is to help staff undertake field activities efficiently and effectively. The success of any surveillance programme is largely determined by the performance of field activities and thus it is critical that staff receive adequate training and support to be able to perform surveillance activities well.