Military Hygiene and Hygiene in Emergency Situations - K.O. Pashka 2005

Fundamentals of organizing and conducting sanitary supervision and medical control over water supply for military personnel and the civilian population in field conditions.
Sanitary supervision and medical control over the water supply of formations and the population in field conditions during emergencies.

Sanitary surveillance of Water supply in emergency situations and combat conditions is carried out to monitor the provision of personnel of units (affected population) with wholesome water in accordance with established standards for drinking needs, food preparation, and personal and public hygiene.

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- participation of the medical (Sanitary and epidemiological) service in reconnaissance and Selection of water sources, establishment of sanitary protection zones, and control over compliance with the appropriate regime within them;

- participation of the medical service in the selection of water sources, determination of sanitary protection, and control over compliance with the established regime within them;

- participation in determining measures to improve water quality and control over compliance with sanitary regulations during water Treatment;

- conducting hygienic expertise of water contaminated with radioactive and toxic agents, and infected with biological agents;

- monitoring water quality, compliance with water consumption norms, and the sanitary condition of sources and points of water supply, means of water extraction and treatment, pumping stations, water pipelines, and facilities for water storage and transportation;

- medical Supervision of the health status of personnel involved in water extraction, purification, storage, and distribution;

- monitoring compliance with the drinking water regime by servicemen (responders to emergencies and the affected population);

- training servicemen (responders to emergencies and the affected population) in The Use of personal water reserve disinfection agents and monitoring their correct application.

Among the preventive measures ensuring the health and combat readiness of personnel (the working capacity of responders and the affected population), a wholesome, timely, and adequate water supply for formations and the affected population plays a leading role.

A military cAMP (or a camp for the affected population) is supplied with water for drinking and domestic needs, as a rule, from centralized water supply systems and artesian wells operating in nearby military settlements or populated areas, or in their absence, from its own water-withdrawal wells (underground water sources), shaft wells, or natural springs after inspection and triple testing of the water to ensure it meets Sanitary and hygienic standards. For long-term camps, it is most practical to equip an independent distribution network connected to the centralized water supply main. In other cases, the camp is supplied with hauled water, accompanied by the deployment of water-withdrawal points.

When selecting a site for a camp, a preliminary inspection of the sanitary and hygienic condition of artesian wells, wells, catchments, and open reservoirs located in the area is carried out. A representative of the medical (sanitary and epidemiological) service collects samples for sanitary-hygienic, bacteriological, physicochemical, and organoleptic analyses. Upon receiving their results from the SES (SEB, SEC), a sanitary-hygienic assessment is provided regarding the feasibility of operating the source(s) and using open water bodies for summer swimming. If necessary, a sanitary-epidemiological expertise of water contaminated with radioactive or toxic substances and infected with biological agents is carried out.

When organizing water supply from a nearby populated area, data on water quality, source yield, and the availability of water-withdrawal structures are obtained from the territorial sanitary and epidemiological station (SES), and in the case of using water from water supply structures in a military settlement, from the chief of the garrison medical service.

For drilling wells, engineering troops have the URB-3AM (Fig. 3.16) and PBU-50 (Fig. 3.17) rigs, which are mounted on truck chassis.

The drilling depth of the URB-3AM is up to 250 m, the time required to equip a well with casing pipes is 7 days, and its performance capacity is 100-120 m³/day. Using the PBU-50, it is possible to drill a well up to 50 m deep in 4-6 hours or dig a shaft well up to 15 m deep in 15-24 hours. The well's performance capacity is 100-120 m³/day.

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Fig. 3.16. URB-3AM drilling rig.

To extract groundwater in field conditions, the DTK-2M small-diameter tubular well drilling rig is used (Fig. 3.18). It extracts water from a depth of 7 m with a total yield of up to 1 m³/h. The time required to set up the well is 3-4 hours, and the operating crew consists of 3-4 persons.

Recently, mechanized auger well drilling rigs based on a truck (MTTTK-15) or a single-axle trailer (UDV-15) (Fig. 3.19) have been widely used. They allow drilling a well up to 15 m deep in 2-2.5 hours, which can yield up to 2.0 m³/h of water. It is operated by a crew of 2.

In addition, the UDV-15 is equipped with 2 fabric-carbon filters (TVF-200), 2 pumps, and 2 fabric reservoirs, making it possible to deploy water supply points not only at underground sources but also at surface water sources.

Fig. 3.17. Mobile drilling rig.

Fig. 3.18. Diagram of a small-diameter tubular well setup:

1 - pump Column; 2 - piston; 3 - discharge valve; 4 - intake valve; 5 - pipes; 6 - ball valve; 7 - filter; 8 - drill.

When organizing the operation of water-dispensing points (WDPs) using hauled water, strict compliance with transportation and storage regulations is essential. Water is transported in tank trucks (such as AVTs-15 and AVTs-28) and trailer-mounted cisterns (TSV-50, TSV-3), and stored in standard water reservoirs of various capacities (RDV-1500,

RDV-100, and RDV-12). In such cases, it is advisable to maintain a two- to three-day water supply, calculated at ten liters per service member (or casualty) per day at moderate air temperatures, and up to fifteen liters in hot weather.

Cisterns used for water transportation and reservoirs for storage must be locked and kept under constant guard.

Reservoirs must be cleaned and disinfected at least once a week, or more frequently as indicated. Water from reservoirs should be dispensed via taps or pumps. All water supply components (such as suction or overflow hoses, water intakes, etc.) must be stored in protective covers and disinfected before being immersed in clean water using a 3% clarified solution of bleaching powder or solutions of Neochlor or Septodor.

Water reserves in reservoirs are refreshed depending on the degree of change in their initial quality (organoleptic, sanitary-chemical, and bacteriological parameters), typically at least every one to two days.

In summer, water quality can deteriorate within just a few hours. To prevent spoilage, preservation is carried out via hyperchlorination (1 mg of active chlorine per 1 dm³/day). Such water must be dechlorinated prior to consumption.

Fig. 3.19. UDV-15 groundwater extraction plant:

1 - auger; 2 - operating jack; 3 - drilling rig with UD-25 engine; 4 - trailer.

Self-Assessment Questions

1. Substantiate the physiological, hygienic, and epidemiological significance of water.

2. Name the Sources of drinking water and provide A Brief Comparative description of them.

3. Who is responsible for organizing water supply in field conditions?

4. Which services organize water supply in the field, and what are their duties?

5. Who organizes and conducts the reconnaissance of water sources?

6. What types of inspections does a representative of the medical (sanitary-epidemiological) service perform when selecting water sources?

7. Based on which indicators is water quality and its potability assessed?

8. What standard equipment (kits and devices) is used to conduct sanitary-toxicological and radiometric analyses of water samples? Specify their capabilities regarding water analysis performance.

9. What is the purpose of Field water supply points and water-dispensing points?

10. State the hygienic requirements for equipping field water supply points.

11. What plants are used for water extraction in field conditions? State their technical capabilities.

12. In what containers is water transported and stored in the field?

13. List the Methods of water purification.

14. What standard equipment is designated for water purification in field conditions? State their technical specifications.

15. What agents are used to disinfect individual water supplies?