505 - Site Assessment Checklist Rev2010!04!12

TOPOGRAPHY/GEOLOGY

505 Site Assessment Form

2010-03

Site Assessment Checklist

A Guide to information that should be gathered during the site assessment & incorporated into project design

2I) General Information

21.Overview

22.History Aspects

23.Logistical Support

24.Environmental Aspects

35.Socio-Cultural Aspects

36.Outcome Assessment Questions

37.Health Assessment

4II) Water Projects

41.Water Quality Testing

42.Supply/Distribution

53.Water Treatment

7III) Sanitation

71.Background Data

72.Wastewater Management

83.Waste Treatment

84.Construction, Collection and Conveyance

95.Environment

96.Overall Considerations

10IV) Construction Projects

101.Materials Availability/Testing

102.Constructability Issues:

103.Loading

104.Labor & Community

115.Bridges

116.Buildings

12V) Energy

121.Solar

14VI) Recommended Reading

15APPENDIX A Various Forms for Data Collection

I) General Information

Note: Please refer to the Submittal Deadlines webpage for important report submission deadlines

1. Overview

a. How large is the community total population, distribution in the town and vicinity

b. What is the makeup of the community ethnic groups, ages, economic status

c. What social events should the chapter plan around (tribal holidays, Western holidays, , etc)

d. Are there other EWB chapters in the region/country

e. Review applicable guidelines (wastewater, survey, etc.) developed by EWB for particular assessment strategies as applicable.\2. History Aspects

a. What is the history of the problem/need

b. If more than one need, what is the priority of the needs

c. Have similar problems been addressed elsewhere

d. Have other groups attempted to resolve the problem(s)

e. Are there other appraisals available for this area (Peace Corps, NGOs) published, web

3. Logistical Support

a. Note status of existing utility systems (water, wastewater, power, phone), if any, and sources

b. Investigate availability and cost of materials and tools in the region for use in alternatives analysis and budget developmentc. Where will volunteers stay during trips to the communityi. How many can comfortably be supported by the community

ii. Where will volunteers eat; what water can they drink safely

iii. Please keep in mind that large numbers of visitors put an undue burden on the communityd. Contacts in the area or community that can be used throughout your programi. Translators, skilled labor etc.

e. Is there a significant contribution by the host community to the project

i. How can the community contribute to the project

ii. A written Memorandum of Understanding may help define roles

f. How will the EWB-USA project be supported over time

i. Who will maintain the system

ii. What financial mechanisms will be established for M&O costs

iii. Should a board be set up to govern the project and manage fees

iv. Will this project serve as a model for other communities in the area

4. Environmental Aspects

a. Where are project materials derived from; where is waste disposed

i. Does the project encourage waste generation or natural resource depletion

b. Does the project promote excessive material use and consumerism

c. Are sensitive ecosystems being adversely impacted by the project, e.g. for a well project: who will monitor the aquifer and watershedd. Would natural resources be conserved even if the project is widely adopted

e. If the project was applied in all villages in the entire watershed/region, what could happen

f. If the project was used long-term, what impact is expected on the environment

g. What is the end-of-life for the engineered product: is it biodegradable, non-toxic, reusable

5. Socio-Cultural Aspects

a. Does the EWB-USA project also help preserve indigenous culture and knowledgeb. Are you capitalizing on existing indigenous knowledgec. Does the EWB-USA project support and respect the local cultural structures. Could local traditions be interrupted or lost, e.g. TV is attributed to a decline in community story-telling

d. Do local social structures exist in the village to approve or veto a project of this type; are these local social structures and elders respected within the local community

e. Are there segments of society that may be marginalized by the project (they may not necessarily have a voice); how may they be integrated into the project

f. Does the project preserve continuity and enhance self-reliance and self-image of the community by integrating new technologies with existing successful traditions

g. Are there regional or national governmental permits or approval needed

h. How do gender roles affect the successful implementation of the project

6. Outcome Assessment Questions

a. Is the community aware of the anticipated engineering outcome of the project; can they assist in defining a metric for this and monitoring it

b. Who among the community may be trained to gather data on project outcomes

c. Who among the community is observant and would notice any unexpected negative consequences of the project on the community or the ecosystem

7. Health Assessment

a. An initial health assessment is necessary for your first assessment trip to establish a baseline of health indicators. The baseline indicators will be compared to the data of future health assessments to determine if the project is successfully improving the quality of peoples lives. It is also useful for determining future statistics on how much the project helped the community.b. There are resources on our website, such as a Community Health Assessment Guidelines document, which you may use as a resource. This document is only intended to be a guide with examples of questions used by health professionals in development projects. You should draw off of these guidelines to develop a health survey tailored to the community and your projects needs. The questionnaire has items that people are typically uncomfortable talking about in person, such as how sick are you and how do you treat the illnesses. You may want to consider having a local health professional perform the survey before you arrive, You may also want to consider including a health professional on your team.c. Can the community discuss anticipated human health/societal benefits of the project and define metrics for evaluating these.d. Some projects dont see the need for this because they feel that their project does not affect health, however, it is important to have this benchmark anyway; e.g. a bridge can affect peoples nutrition because of the new goods available, improperly disposed batteries from an energy project can negatively affect peoples health.II) Water Projects

1. Water Quality Testing

Testing must be performed for ALL water supply and treatment projects as part of the assessment trip. Bacterial testing: either plate count or Most Probable Number (MPN) should be used; presence/absence (P/A) tests are not advised because for most EWB projects the treated water quality may always contain bacteria. Water samples should be tested within 4 hours of taking the sample, or they should be kept on ice.

a. We recommend the following tests kits:

i. 3M Petrifilm is an inexpensive water quality test which requires incubation. All university students are eligible for up to 100 free tests each year. Follow the link for more information about ordering as well as educational videos about using Petrifilm. Chapters have reported that expedited requests are sent 2nd day airii. Micrology Laboratories Coliscan tests do require an incubator. iii. LaMotte Coliform Test is a MPN test that works at room temperature, and does not require an incubator. While a P/A test is not recommended, P/A tests can be used to statistically determine the number of coliforms in a sample

iv. Hach MEL/850 Potable Water Laboratory and the OXFAM DelAgua Water Testing Kit. Both of these kits are designed for field use and test for general parameters needed for a basic water quality assessmentb. Other recommended tests:

i. pH

ii. Turbidity

iii. Nitrate

iv. Pollutants? Petroleum (TPH), VOCs

Additional information on water quality testing is available in the Water Testing Guidance Sheet, which is available on the website under EWB-USA Guidelines.

2. Supply/Distribution

a. Supply/Demand analysis

i. What is the capacity of your source dry season flow rates or productivity of aquifer

ii. What is the demand now and in the future

How will the water be used drinking and cooking only?

Will there be public taps that still require hauling water or household taps?

Typical values range from 20 lppd (for drinking and cooking only) to 100+ lppd for all uses including laundry, bathing, cleaning, pour flush latrines, etc.

b. Site topography for pipeline (elevation changes)

i. A good handheld GPS is only accurate to +/- 3ft in XY and +/- 10ft in Z at best; see your owners manual for information on your GPS unit, a hand level will provide better accuracy

ii. Make sure to check with a local university on the possibility of borrowing surveying equipment and having students volunteer their time to help out with the surveying

i. Whose land will the pipeline cross; are there any ownership rights that need to be addressed

b. Water rights- who owns the water

c. Flow rates and current pipe sizes - what are the current flow rates and usage patterns. This data should be recorded first-hand if possible as existing data is often times unreliabled. Material availability

i. what type of pipes and valves are available

ii. what is the maximum pressure for these pipes/valves

iii. how will they be replaced if they break

e. Tap locations

i. Where will the taps be located; how many people will use each tap

ii. Will taps be installed in households or in a central locationiii. If household taps are used:

Chapter must consider wastewater issues, impact of additional water usage, who gets water first, etc.

f. Wastewater

i. With more water, there is more wastewater, consider how will this be treated/channeled; are there any additional health risks associated with this water (i.e. Malaria)

g. Water source

i. River

Who is downstream of the community that may be affected by this diversion or water

What are flows and water elevations during high and low flow conditions

ii. Spring:

Is a spring box needed; what materials are available for the spring box

What does the spring look like in the low and high flow conditions

Ownership of spring

Does a tap need to reside on the spring box for people who used that spring for watering their animals etc

iii. Groundwater (Wells)

Are there wells in the area; how much do their water levels fluctuate

What kind of pumping rates can be achieved

What is the depth to potable water, is there more than one aquifer, is the aquifer protected

Who will monitor the well

Distance to latrines in the area, surface water intrusion on the well

Are there local drillers

3. Water Treatment

a. What kind of source water protection measures are possible

b. What materials are available locally; what are their costs?

i. Chlorine (are trained personnel available as well?)

ii. Sand or carbon filtration iii. Pumice or gravels

iv. UV light bulbs; these contain mercury how will they be disposed UV bulbs are rarely available locally, eliminating this technology as an option for an EWB-USA proejctv. Solar Disinfection (SODIS) suitability of household rooftops and availability of safe bottles. How will bottles be disposed?

b. What treatment technologies is the community familiar with

c. Technical skills of community who is qualified to maintain treatment

d. Operational costs can the community afford to operate and maintain treatment system

c. Understanding of water supply system supply/demand, elevations, flows, etc.III) Sanitation

1. Background Data

a. What is the source of the wastewater, i.e. toilets, washwater, greywater

b. Can sources of wastewater be segregated to simplify or reduce costs of construction and maintenance

c. Source separation or segregation of wastes can reduce the volume of water requiring treatment and the resulting expense and influence the type of treatment needed to purify the water, for example:

i. Feces could be collected and separately treated in a pit or composting latrine

ii. Urine can be separated and beneficially used for fertilizer

iii. Greywater (water only used for washing dishes and bathing) may require less treatment or a smaller treatment area that water bearing feces.

d. What quantities of waste (solid or water borne) will be generated; volume/mass of feces and urine, as well as materials used for anal cleansing (paper, water, plant materials, etc) need to be considered

e. All systems generate solid waste materials or biosolids - methods to collect and reuse biosolids needs to be included:

i. What quantities of biosolids will be generated?

ii. Are there adequate systems to collect the biosolids?

iii. Can biosolids be composted?

iv. Have odors and vectors (flies and rodents), and contamination of storm water been considered

v. Can the biosolids be beneficially used (applied to amend soils)?.

f. site topography for (elevation changes)

2. Wastewater Management

Both social and technical alternatives should be considered -

a. Social issues include:

i. The need for separate mens and womens facilities

ii. The locations of facilities and the ability of children to use the facilities

iii. Accessibility of the facilities

iv. It is possible to design a great system that will not get used, due to cultural habits, taboos, fears and inconvenience

b. Technical alternatives to be considered and evaluated include, but are not limited to:

i. Pit latrineii. Ventilated pit latrines

iii. Composting latrinesiv. Water privy

v. Pour flush latrines

vi. Flushing toilets with treatment

Septic tanks followed by soils based absorption systems (SBAS), a.k.a. leachfields

Media filters, e.g. textile, peat, sand

Recirculating sand filters (if pumps are available)

Aerobic plants (require electricity)

Sand filters (closed and open bottom)

Constructed wetlands, overland flow

Lagoons

c. For latrines consider the following:

i. The type of superstructure and materials to utilize

ii. Venting to control odors and enhance biodegradation of the feces and evaporation of urine

iii. Insect and rodent proofing

iv. Adequate slope to drain away from the superstructure

v. Type of covering over the vault

vi. squat plate

vii. Depth, volume and lining for the pit

viii. Distance from water sources and wells

3. Waste Treatment

a. Water privys and pour flush latrines rely upon treatment and dispersal of wastewater into the surrounding soils

i. If the system will rely upon soil treatment (e.g. a leach field, pour flush latrine, seepage pit), are the soil conditions and available area for infiltration conducive to this type of treatment

ii. Subsurface conditions that impact performance and must be considered are:

Soil types/percolations rates - soil can be classified using the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) textural triangle into sandy loams, loams, and sandy clay loams or using the Unified Soils Classification System (USCS) into SW, SC, CL, CH, etc. In areas where pan evaporation exceeds precipitation for most months soils classified as clays (CL, CH) may require large absorption systems or the use of an evapotranspirative type of system.; A quick perc test can be performed in possible disposal area(s)

Depth to groundwater - a minimum of 12-18 separation between the infiltrative surface of the leach field and groundwater is required; if depth to groundwater is unsatisfactory, a mound system may be utilized, provided there sufficient quantity of fill soils to create a mound

4. Construction, Collection and Conveyance

a. Are sufficient materials, labor, and equipment available to construct the components of the treatment systems; for example:

i. Concrete and wood forms for a septic tank,

ii. Sand for sand filters

iii. Mortar and bricks for a seepage pit or vault.

iv. Piping to convey wastewater to the treatment system

v. Labor and equipment to excavate pits, pipeline trenches, leach fields

vi. Wood or brick for privy superstructures

b. How much pipe will be required to convey the wastewater from the source to the treatment system - the cost and labor of a system will increase significantly with systems that require a lot of piping

i. Latrines require little piping,

ii. Septic tanks with SBAS may require more piping

iii. Lagoons and constructed wetlands may require even more pipe to deliver the wastewater from the source to the treatment system

5. Environment

a. Will the system prevent or minimize contamination or further degrade the receiving waters (surface lakes, streams and groundwater)

b. Is the level of treatment provided by the system sufficient to prevent degradation of receiving waters

c. Can water be re-used for beneficial uses, e.g. crop irrigation

i. In areas with plenty of rainfall, reuse of the wastewater may not be worth pursuing; however, in areas where water is scarce, reuse should be carefully considered

ii. If wastewater will be re-used, the uses of the water will significantly influence the degree of treatment and performance assurance of the system must be carefully considered.

iii. If the water can be re-used, how will the water be stored and applied to crops

d. Consider whether gas from biological treatment processes can be collected and used for cooking and heating (biogas plant), possibly including animal waste

6. Overall Considerations

a. Is the project feasible from a social, economic, technical, standpoint

b. Is the project buildable

c. Have several alternatives been considered

d. The ideal solution for a project may require a single system, e.g. vault privy, while other situations may require a combination of systems; several alternatives should be considered following the site assessment

IV) Construction Projects

Assuming some sort of structure is being contemplated, such as: water tanks, buildings of any sort, culverts, bridges, pole support structures, modifications to existing structures, etc.

1. Materials Availability/Testing

a. What building materials are readily available; keep in mind that it is not enough to just know if ready-mixed concrete is available, you also have to form the concrete so are forming material (i.e. plywood) must be available

b. Are local materials available such as sand, gravel, or wood

c. Can you ascertain the strengths of the available building materials? I.E. grade of reinforcing bars, strength of concrete mix, grade or strength of concrete masonry blocks, grade or strength of corrugated metal panels, etc.

d. Materials cannot be assumed to be the strength in text books

i. Conservative estimate for concrete strength is 2300PSI if it is mixed by hand

ii. All rebar should be tested for large construction

e. Can materials be reproduced by others

2. Constructability Issues:

a. Can materials be delivered to a remote site

b. If heavy equipment of any kind (backhoe) is required, where will it be obtained

c. Can concrete trucks access the site and be emptied in 90 minutes; hot, windy weather will shorten this time

d. Where are materials going to be stored and stockpiled

e. How will materials be protected from rain and/or theft

f. Is testing necessary; if so, how will this be done

g. What will you do with waste

h. What is the condition of the road to the site; is it useable by cargo vehicles

i. Is power available for using powered equipment

3. Loading

a. If your structure will generate even moderate loadings to the soil, can you determine some of the soils properties in order to make a valid judgment about the allowable soil bearing pressure

b. Can you make valid assumptions about the environmental loadings to your structure such as for wind and seismic

4. Labor & Community

a. Depending on the type of structure you are contemplating, does the community have the skills to assist you with the construction and learn from you and then be able to replicate this type of construction

b. Contemplate and evaluate the potential for future expansion to your proposed structure; plan and design for this, if needed, from the very start

c. What is the common construction method for houses in the country, i.e. masonry, concrete, adobe, etc

d. Are technicians available from the local government or NGOs for the project

e. Take photos of site from various angles for reference later; photos of other construction techniques in city or villages will be helpful later.

5. Bridges

a. For sophisticated structures such as a bridge or culvert crossing, you must have team members that are well versed in obtaining the detailed information for the bridge or culvert crossing. These detailed items include:

i. Stream hydrology

ii. Highest level of flooding

iii. Scour-out protection

iv. Roadway alignment

v. Detailed foundation study/evaluation

vi. Vehicle loading

vii. Impact loading

viii. Construction sequencing

b. Survey longitudinally for bridge sites; check high flow and erosion problems up stream

6. Buildings

a. Dimensions

b. Location

V) Energy

1. Solar

a. The following primary guidelines MUST be considered for the assessment of any solar project:

i. The risk of theft and vandalism is inherent to any solar project. As such, many NGOs have a policy of not implementing solar projects in developing communities. Chapters must develop a comprehensive plan for mounting and securing panels in order to prevent theft and damage

ii. The brand and model of panel being installed must be available from an in-country distributor. Additionally, all maintenance and replacement materials must be available locally including mounting, sealant and electrical equipment.

iii. A cost-benefit analysis must be carried out for all energy alternatives.

b. Other considerations:

i. What equipment will be poweredis this considered a basic need?ii. What is the needed kWh output and how will this vary throughout the year What is the latitude and longitude of the community iii. How will the output of the system vary throughout the year

iv. How many cloudy days

v. What equipment is available locallyvi. Where will the solar panels be placed

What angle will result in maximum efficiency

Can the panels be roof mounted or will some sort of ground mount be needed What materials are available for this

For roofs: can the roof support a workers weight, what reinforcement will be needed for the roof so that the panels can be mounted

Is there any shading (even a very small amount of shading can severely reduce the panels output make sure to read about this)

If there is shading, can the obstruction be removed (i.e. cut down the tree), is yes, who will do this and what impact will it havevii. Distance from the panels to the batteries or grid tie

viii. How will the power be routed to the batteries, converters, loads

c. Batteries

i. Where will the batteries be stored

What ventilation is available (the build up of hydrogen gas is a hazard)

How will they be secured against damage and theft

ii. How will the batteries be disposed; batteries contain undesirable materials such as lead and cadmium that would be harmful if they leaked into water supplies

iii. How many days of backup are needed

iv. What batteries are available locally for replacement; at what cost: batteries are going to be the main maintenance cost for the system, and it has to be affordable for the community or the system will simply stop working when the batteries fail in 3-5 years.

d. Grid connected

i. Who is the AC electrician who will connect this system to the grid

ii. What is the demarcation point going to be

iii. What type of metering is available

e. Who will be in charge of maintenance

i. Is distilled water available for the batteries

VI) Recommended Reading

1) Field Guide to Appropriate Technology by Christopher Bull and Barrett Hazeltine

2) Engineering in Emergencies by Jan Davis and Robert Lambert

3) EWB-USA Guidelines by various EWB-USA Technical Advisory Committee members. Available on the EWB-USA website

APPENDIX A Various Forms for Data Collection

Construction

Project Location: Date:

GPS ID:

LongitudedegminsecNotes:

Latitudedegminsec

Elevation(ft or m?)

Tool

Cost / Unit

Shovel

/

Hammer

/

Wheelbarrow

/

Screen

/

Wire

/

Trowels

/

Buckets

/

Pick

/

Screw Drivers

/

Saws

/

/

/

/

/

/

/

/

Material

Cost / Unit

Cement

/

Lime

/

Sand

/

Gravel

/

Rock

/

Screen

/

Wire

/

Metal Roofing

/

Reinforcing Bars

/

Wood

/

Paint

/

Nails

/

Screws

/

Bolts

/

Glass

/

/

/

Transportation

Cost / Day or Distance

Jeep

/

Pickup Tuck

/

3t truck

/

5t truck

/

Porter

/

Access Road

type, condition

Map/Directions:

Labor

Cost/Day

Unskilled Lborer

/

Skilled Laborer

/

Technician

/

Engineer

/

Other

/

TOPOGRAPHY/GEOLOGY

Project Location: Date:

GPS ID:

LongitudedegminsecNotes:

Latitudedegminsec

Elevation(ft or m?)

Geology:

Maps or Reference:

General Notes on Terrain & Vegetation:

Map:

WELL

Project/Location:Date:

GPS ID:

LongitudedegminsecNotes:

Latitudedegminsec

Elevation(ft or m?)

GENERAL CONDITIONSWATER QUALITY

Depth to Groundwater(ft or m?)UnitsUnits

(high/low if seasonal)

Depth to Top of Sediments(ft or m?)pHCoppermg/L

Depth of Sediments in Well(ft or m?)Alkalinitymg/LLeadmg/L

Diameter of Well(ft or m?)Chloridesmg/LMercurymg/L

NH3mg/LArsenicmg/L

Nitratemg/LHardnessmg/L

Nitritemg/LColiform BacteriaMPN

SOIL PROFILE: Describe Soil/Rock Subsurface

USE: NOTES:

How Many People Use the Well?

Does the Well Go Dry/When?

What is Proximity of Livestock?

Well Priority (high/med/low)?

Can the aquifer support this use?

Who will monitor the aquifer?

Can the wellhead be protected?

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

LATRINE

Project/Location:Date:

GPS ID:

LongitudedegminsecNotes:

Latitudedegminsec

Elevation(ft or m?)

GENERAL CONDITIONS

Diameter of Latrine(ft or m?)

Depth to Top of Waste(ft or m?)

Depth of Latrine(ft or m?)

Percolation Rate of Soil?min/in

SOIL PROFILE:

Describe Soil/Rock Subsurface:

USE: NOTES:

How Many People Use the Latrine?

What is the Level of Waste in Latrine?

Do Women/Men/Children Use Latrine?

Distance/Direction to Well?

Well Priority (high/med/low)?

Wind Direction? Who will smell it?

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

SURFACE WATER

Project/Location:Date:

GPS ID:

LongitudedegminsecNotes:

Latitudedegminsec

Elevation(ft or m?)

WATER QUALITYNotes:

UnitsUnits

pHCoppermg/L

Alkalinitymg/LLeadmg/L

Chloridesmg/LMercurymg/L

NH3mg/LArsenicmg/L

Nitratemg/LHardnessmg/L

Nitritemg/LColiform BacteriaMPN

Pollutants:TPHmg/L

VOCsg/LPesticidesg/L

MAP:

RIVERS/STREAMS

Project/Location:Date:

Name of Water Body:

GPS ID:

LongitudedegminsecNotes:

Latitudedegminsec

Elevation(ft or m?)

RIVER/STREAM:

WidthmSketch Cross Section of River/Stream:

Depthm

Velocitym/s

Flow Ratem3/s

WATER QUALITYNotes:

UnitsUnits

pHCoppermg/L

Alkalinitymg/LLeadmg/L

Chloridesmg/LMercurymg/L

NH3mg/LArsenicmg/L

Nitratemg/LHardnessmg/L

Nitritemg/LColiform Bacteria

MAP:

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