© Tsurukawa 2010

Study of drink water supply chainsand development opportunites for

the Consortium of Urban Agriculturein Butembo ( North Kivu, DRC )

©

Author :TSURUKAWA Nicolas

Academic supervision by Pr. Philippe BURNY – Gembloux Agro Bio Tech (ULg)Pr. Jean-Marie GODEAU – Veterinary Faculty (ULg)

Since 2002, the Consortium of Urban Agriculture in Butemto (CAUB*) gathers localdevelopment NGOs to take actions in the fields of food sovereignty and accessto drinking water. In the city, population increased from 400,000 inhabitants in year2000 to more than 600,000 nowadays, due to high birth rate and persistant insecurityin rural areas, after years of conflicts.

From 2004 till 2008, supported by the Belgian NGO UniverSud** and taking advantageof the hilly topography, the CAUB built several gravitary water conveyance networks,providing water to recently occupied peripheral areas of Butembo.

The microbial load of this harnessed water is lower than average unmanaged springs,but remains far above the World Health Organization standards. In June 2009, theConsortium launched a new project, producing bleach in order to disinfect the water.

This study aims to strenghten the long-term viability of the process by assessing itscost-effectiveness and identifying strategic opportunities for further development ofthis new supply chain.*CAUB is the local, commonly used designation of the organisation, standing for the French « Consortium d'Agriculture Urbaine de Butembo » ** UniverSud was formerly known as the Cooperation and Development Agency of Liège University

Uzima Technologies GomaAnode cathode Anode cathodeAnode cathode

Drawing of chlorinated drinking waterBy local population

Manual chlorination by the local spring managing committee

Drawing of clear but unsuitable for drink water by the local population

Electric generator:15 kW power

Fuel consumption : 2L/hour

CAUB water stock1,7US$ / 600L

(1 supply)

CAUB Gasoil stock1,4 US$/L

CAUB – NaCl stock0,22 US$/kg

CAUB delivery truckFull capacity : 600L

(15 cans of 40L)petrol consumption :

28,2 L / 100km

from 6 to 10 PM,Electricity for local

community

44 Public fountains

AutomatedChlorination system

(Altech-made)

KATWA IIIwaterpipe network

KangoteWaterpipenetwork

Irangyaspring

Mulekyaspring

Limborospring

Kasukaspring

Visikaspring

Muyalispring

Vutetsewell

Vuhesiwaterpipe network

AutomatedChlorination system

(altech-made)

30 publicfountains

Chlorinatedwater

Chlorinatedwater

Old electricGenerator

Of the CAUB

Computers, Photocopier,

scanner(CAUB office)

Stabilisator720W Transformer

(provided with WATA)Transformer

( Dynamic Telwin 320)

100 L / 6hat 12V x 20A

100 L / 6h at 12V x 20 A

120 L / 4h at 24V x 30 A

2,5kgNaCl

2,5 kgNaCl

3kgNaCl

Altech-madeelectrodes

Altech-madeelectrodes

Antenna Technologieselectrodes

NaOCl solutionwith 4,5g/L of free chlorine

concentration checking with the WATA Test Reagent

Packaging in250ml bottles

(0,31US$/bottle)

Gifts : 0US$ (sensibilisation...)

Retail price0,65 US$/bottle

Wholesale price :0,60 US$/bottle

Rough packaging in 40L cans

Residual free chlorine concentrationchecked with the WATABlue testing kitChlorination pace might be adaptated

Alternating current

Courant Alternatif

DirectCurrent

DirectCurrent

DirectCurrent

12x40L/monthly

2x40L/monthly 6 x 40L / monthly (40L for each spring, in a single delivery round)

48 x 40L monthly 24 x 40L monthly

WATA Test Reagent15US$ / bottle

70 tests

AlternatingCurrent

Alternating current

Alternating currentf

Antenna Technologies(Switzerland)

WATABlue8US$ / bottle

200 tests

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WATER SPRINGS and CONVEYANCE NETWORKS

260 springs and 134 artesian wells were listed inside the administrative boundaries of Butembo. Several local and International NGOs have beenBuilding conveyance networks and taps to keepwater from contaminations, with poor success.

The CAUB supplies the springs and pipes whereorganised local committees charge a little fee to every user to participate in the sustainability ofthe buildings.

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off icial price (US$/L)

market price (US$/L)

w orld rate (US$/barrel)

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ELECTRICITY

As electricity is also needed by the CAUB office, halfThe costs are taken into account. Nevertheless, fuelconsumption to generate electricity has a share of 19% in the whole production costs (and 50% without considering the redemption costs).The alternating current has to be converted to directcurrent to be suitable for the electrolysis.Moreover, fossil fuel prices are very sensitive as it iscommodity imported from Kenya and Uganda.Nevertheless, photovoltaic energy can't be analternative because of the high nebulosity of the areaand the need for regular production.A few hydroelectric turbine are functional in the city and could be a good investment for reducing thecosts of a larger scale production. Gasoil price evolution in Butembo from 2008 to 2010Source :Urban Economy Office, US Energy Information Administration, Association of Petrol Import company in Lubero territory

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Electrodes

1°) The Maxi-WATA electrode costs 3750 US$It can produce up to 900g of free chlorine every dayAccording to the WHO, 2 to 3mg of chlorine shouldbe added to water for complete disinfection.

2°) The Altech electrodes cost 8808 US$, and they can both produce 720g of free chlorine perday.

The production of active chlorine is proportinal toThe electrolysis duration and applied current intensity.Therefore, a poor capacity transformer limitates theactual production.

WATER and SALT

Water and salt (sodium chloride) are the only raw material needed for the productionof a sodium hypochlorite solution byelectrolysis, following the below equations :

2 NaCl (aq) + 2 H2O → 2 NaOH (aq) + Cl2 (g) + H2 (g)2 NaOH (aq) + Cl2 (g) → NaClO (aq) + NaCl (aq) + H2O

The water is drawn at the Vuhesi fountain,lying 4km away from the laboratory. Eachsupply of 600 litres costs 3,16 US$.The price of salt in Butembo can vary from 0,3 to 0,6 US$ / kg. Salt and water respectively represents 6% and 4% of thetotal production costs.Market price evolution for salt in Butembo.Source : Urban Economy Office, 2009

QUALITY CONTROL

It is crucial for public health that the sodium hypochlorite solution distributed by the CAUB actually has the indicated concentration.Lower rates would expose the consumer to microbial hazard due to Unsufficient disinfection. Excess concentration would not be harmfull,But the stronger smell and taste of chlorine might incommodate theUser. The WATA test reagent (0,21US$/test) is used in the laboratoryto check and fitsfor concentrations ranging from 1 to 10 g/L of freechlorine. The WATA Blue (0,06US$/test) controls the amount ofchlorine at the tap, that ensures residual disinfection power duringwater storage by the households.

These two kits from the NGO Antenna Technologies were found to bemuch cheaper than other classic chemical testings such as Visocolor (0,54US$/test, produced by Macherey & Nagel).

ADDITIONNAL COSTS

1°) The packaging cost for disinfecting solution stored in 40L cans isnegligible, as the cans are retrieved after each delivery. On the otherhand, 250ml bottles for family use costs 0,31US$, which represents45% of the selling price, while the solution itself only costs 0,03 US$.reducing this cost seems difficult because the hypochlorite solutionneeds to be stored in an opaque bottle, and the short conservationPeriode doesn't make necessary to sell bigger bottles.

2°) Because of the high fuel consumption (28,2L/100km), deliverycan represent from 2 to 20% of the final price, depending on the amount of chlorine transported at once and the distance between thespring and the laboratory of the CAUB

3°) manual chlorination by local water managing team involvesa salary for these workers that should be included in the final price

THE MARKET

With the current configuration (water and energysupply, work shifts etc.), the monthly production of Sodium hypochlorite solution by the CAUB couldreach up to 8400 litres (4,5g/L), which couldprovide daily 84,000 people with safe drink water.

Considering that 3680 litres are needed for thesprings and conveying networks (cf. ), the remaining production could be sold in bottles toretailers such as pharmacists or hospitals. It couldaswell be delivered in springs built by other NGOS,considering that some are also managed in a sustainable and responsible way by local people.

Butembo is located 15 km North from the Equator, at an altitude of 1700m. Its key position between temperate highlands and equatorial lowlands made this city a traditionnal exchangemarket for agricultural products. With exportations of raw ore, coffee, papaine or quinine andtrade of manufactured goods from Uganda to inner Provinces of the country, Butembo raisedas one of the biggest commercial crossroads of the Democratic Republic of Congo,

Source : Référentiel Géographique Commun – RDC www.rgc.cd

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Pictures :A: Katwa III reservoirB: Mulekya springC : Electrolysis device

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