VZCZCXRO1713
OO RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1743/01 2890914
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 160914Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3601
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 7994
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1097
RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 8851
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001743 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP, CA 
STATE FOR USAID 
USAID FOR DCHA/OFDA CCHAN, ACONVERY, RTHAYER, AND RMT 
USAID FOR ANE KROSEN 
BANGKOK FOR ADWYER 
NSC FOR CPRATT 
USUN FOR DMERCADO 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
PACOM POLAD/J3/J5 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV CASC ECON EAID SENV ID PHUM AEMR ASEC CASC
MARR, PREL, PINR, AMGT, EAID, AQ, LA, RP, TN, VM, WS 
 
SUBJECT:  INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE HUMANITARIAN UPDATE #9:  FIELD 
ASSESSMENTS INDICATE WASH NOT A CRITICAL NEED AT PRESENT 
 
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Summary 
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¶1.  The USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) field 
officer has assessed the need for emergency water, sanitation, and 
hygiene (WASH) programs following the September 30 earthquake off 
the coast of West Sumatra.  While the earthquake damaged water and 
sanitation infrastructure, families continue to access water as well 
as sanitation facilities.  Affected populations are continuing the 
longstanding practice of boiling water, thus reducing the 
possibility of falling ill from contaminated water.  Other cultural 
practices, including ablutions, also help protect individuals 
against water-borne diseases.  Implementing partners of USAID's 
Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) are 
conducting programs to promote sound hygiene practices.  Interviews 
with families and field assessments indicate that WASH programs are 
not among the pressing needs of most earthquake-affected families at 
the present time.  While communities do not rank WASH among priority 
needs, USAID/OFDA partners will reinforce good WASH behaviors, 
monitor WASH conditions, and respond as needed.  End summary. 
 
--------------- 
WASH Assessment 
--------------- 
 
¶2.  Since arriving in Padang following the September 30 earthquake, 
the USAID/DART field officer has assessed WASH conditions in 13 
villages in Agam, Pariaman, and Padang Pariaman districts.  The 
field officer has met with Government of Indonesia (GoI) 
representatives, interviewed earthquake-affected families, and 
assessed physical water points and sanitation infrastructure.  In 
areas assessed, only a few families ranked water or sanitation 
within their current set of priority needs. 
 
-- Water -- 
 
¶3.  In pocket areas, the earthquake destroyed or caused extensive 
damage to houses, roads, schools, and health facilities.  In areas 
where houses were damaged or destroyed, water points -- usually in 
the form of a well on the family plot -- may also have sustained 
damaged.  Some wells have collapsed, but most of the damage to wells 
occurred when debris fell into the wells during or after the 
earthquake. 
 
¶4.  In villages assessed by the USAID/DART, families reported using 
pre-earthquake water points if such water points are still 
operational.  Where pre-earthquake water points are not operational, 
families rely on water from neighbors' wells or nearby springs.  In 
isolated circumstances, people are retrieving water from rivers. 
 
¶5.  When disasters force people to rely on non-traditional water 
sources, public health concerns arise because of increased potential 
for water-borne disease.  At present in Indonesia, the humanitarian 
community feels that the use of potentially contaminated water 
sources is not of critical concern, so long as people continue the 
practice of boiling water.  Indonesians adhere to a long-standing 
tradition of boiling water prior to consumption.  This practice 
reduces the likelihood of consuming contaminated water, even if the 
source is potentially contaminated.  All families interviewed by the 
USAID/DART field officer reported continuing to boil water, using 
either firewood or fuel purchased at the local market, and stated 
that they will carry on with this practice. 
 
¶6.  Market assessments conducted by the USAID/DART indicate that the 
price of fuel for cooking has not increased since the earthquake. 
If the price of fuel for cooking were to rise to a point at which 
families could no longer afford it, and thus would no longer have 
access to fuel, serious public health consequences could ensue.  At 
this point in time, however, the price of fuel remains steady, and 
families continue to purchase fuel for boiling water. 
 
 
JAKARTA 00001743  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶7.  Water trucking services continue in Padang city, where the water 
network is not yet fully operational following the earthquake. 
Non-governmental organizations are concerned that water trucking 
services will cease before the water distribution network is fully 
restored, thereby leaving families without access to potable water. 
The USAID/DART will continue to track this issue. 
 
-- Sanitation and Hygiene -- 
 
¶8.  Household inspections conducted by the USAID/DART field officer 
indicated that many families use open-mouthed containers to store 
boiled water.  Family members dip hands and buckets into the water, 
giving rise to the potential for re-contamination of boiled water 
prior to consumption.  The distribution of closed-mouth jerry cans 
combined with hygiene promotion activities can help address this 
issue. USAID/OFDA-funded partners are currently implementing such 
activities. 
 
¶9.  The earthquake damaged or destroyed not only the physical 
structure of houses but also any indoor sanitation structures. 
Where that has happened, families report using neighbors' latrines. 
There has been moderate damage reported to outdoor latrines. 
Families report damage to latrine superstructures and fractures to 
ceramic bowls and slabs. 
 
¶10.  In isolated circumstances, families practice open defecation. 
The USAID/DART field officer asked families who reported practicing 
open defecation to show him where they defecated and where they 
retrieved their water.  In all cases, the area of defecation was 
neither in close proximity to the source of water nor in an area 
that would create conditions leading to significant public health 
concerns. 
 
¶11.  Hand washing is not a common practice in the assessed areas. 
However, ablutions prior to prayer help create hygiene behaviors 
which reduce health risks that typically accompany a lack of hand 
washing.  The importance of hand washing should be included in 
ongoing hygiene promotion activities throughout the 
earthquake-affected area. 
 
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Conclusion 
---------- 
 
¶12.  In areas assessed, individuals continue to be able to access 
water and sanitation infrastructure.  Cultural practices including 
ablutions and boiling water help protect populations from 
water-borne diseases.  Few of the families interviewed ranked water 
and sanitation with their current set of priority needs.  For these 
and other reasons, the USAID/DART concludes that WASH programs are 
not among the pressing needs of most earthquake-affected families. 
Going forward, USAID/OFDA partners will reinforce good WASH 
behaviors, monitor WASH conditions, and respond as needed. 
 
 
Osius#