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CLOSE THIS BOOKPublic Health Technician (MSF, 1994, 192 p.)
VIEW THE DOCUMENT(introduction...)
1. Water in camps of Displaced people
II - Sanitation
III - Vector control
VIEW THE DOCUMENTIV - GIossary, conversion tables and estimations
VIEW THE DOCUMENTV - Bibliography

IV - GIossary, conversion tables and estimations

Glossary

English French Spanish Definition

A

Absorption

Absorption

Absorpción

Incorporation of one substance by




another (e.g.: of a gas by a liquid, of a




liquid by the soil).





Accumulation rate

Taux d'accumulation

Tasa de acumulatión

Rate at which decomposed fæcal matter




builds up in a latrine pit, expressed in




m3 per person per year, and used for the




calculation of effective pit volume.





Activated carbon

Charbon actif

Carbon activo

Specially prepared powdered or




granulated carbon, used in final




treatment of drinking water by




absorption, particularly for the removal




of dissolved organic pollutants which




impart taste and odours to water.





Adsorbent

Adsorbent

Adsorbente

Solid particle (e.g.: activated carbon) of




very large surface with the property of




fixing dissolved solids and colloids in




water.





Alternating twin

Latrine a fosse

Letrina sobre

Latrine with two pits used alternately

pit latrine

double

dos fosas






Apron

Tablier

Banqueta

Concrete surface surrounding the head




of a well for protection and drainage.





Available chlorine

Chlore actif

Chloro activo

Pure chlorine content of a chlorine-




generating product, expressed as a




percentage, or in chlorometric degrees




(e.g.: 70% for calcium hypochlorite).





Aquifer

Nappe phrèatique

Capa freatica

Saturated, permeable, underground rock

(water table)



formation.





Autoclave

Autoclave

Autoclave

Equipment for sterilization by saturated




water vapour (humid heat) during 20




mins at 135°C (2 bars) or 30 mins at




121°C (1 bar).

B

Bacteria

Bactèries

Bacterias

Microscopic unicellular organisms,




certain of which are disease-causing




agents.





Bacteriological

Analyse

Analisis

Identification of bacteria of the coliform

analysis

bactèriologique

bacteriológico

group and/or other micro-organisms




indicating contamination of water by




fæcal material.





Biodegradation

Biodegradation

Biodegradation

Natural process of destruction of

(decomposition)



organic material by microbiological




activity.





Burying

Enfouissement

Enterramiento

Action of covering with earth (e.g.




refuse: see controlled tipping).

C

Calcium

Hypochlorite

Hipoclorito

Chlorine-generating product in a form hypochlorite


de calcium

de calcio

containing 65 to 70% available chlorine,




made by reacting chlorine with calcium




hydroxide.





Candle filter

Bougie

Filtro de porcelana

Ceramic filter element (pore size: 0.45µ).





Catchment

Captage

Captatión

Part of a well below the static level of




the water table which allows water to




flow into the well, or the emergence




zone of a spring where water may be




collected.





Catchment ring

Buse de captage

Tubo de captación

Perforated or porous concrete cylinder




sunk into the water table, through




which water passes.





Chemical analysis

Analyse chimique

An lisis quimico

Identification of undesirable or toxic




chemical substances whose maximum




permissible concentrations determine




the potability of water.





Chlorinated lime

Clorure de chaux

Cloruro de calcio

Chlorine generating product (CaO




2CaOCl2) in powder form, containing




30% chlorine. Less stable than calcium




hypochlorite.





Chlorine

Chlore

Cloro

Reactive element (Cl) with strong




oxidising powers, used for the




disinfection of water (destruction of




organic material and biocidal action).





Chlorine compound

Produit gènèrateur

Derivado Product

used for disinfecting water,


de chlore

del cloro

containing a proportion of available




chlorine which is released or dissolving




in water.





Chlorine demand

Demande

Demanda

Difference between amount of chlorine


en chlore

de cloro

added to water and total residual




chlorine level after 30 mins (= chlorine




consumed).





Combined residual

Chlore rèsiduel

Cloro residual

Fraction of chlorine added to water

chlorine

combine

combinado

which is not consumed, but combined




with certain substances (with some




disinfectant power, but less than free




residual chlorine).





Concrete ring

Buse

Tubo de concreto

Short concrete cylinder for supporting




and lining the sides of a well to make




them impermeable.





Contact time

Temps de contact

Tiempo de contacto

Period necessary for the reaction of




chlorine with organic matter contained




in water (more or less 30 minutes).





Contamination

Contamination

Contaminatión

Introduction of potentially pathogenic

(pollution)



micro-organisms or chemical




substances presenting health risks into




the environment.





Controlled tipping

Dècharge controlèe

Relleno sanitario

Method of disposal of solid wastes by

(sanitary landfill)



burial in successive layers in ground




exclusively reserved for this purpose.

D

DPD1

DPD1

DPD1

Diethyl-p-phenyline diamine. Used in




tablet form with a colorimetric




comparator to measure free residual




chlorine.





Defecation

Dèfècation

Defecación

Passage of waste matter from the




bowels.





Detergent

Dètergent

Detergente

Compound used in cleaning (e.g.




washing clothes), often found in




polluting wastewater.





Disinfect

Dèsinfecter

Desinfectar

To kill a large proportion of micro




organisms present in water or on a




surface.





Distribution box

Boîte de distribution

Caja distribuidora

Construction for collecting effluent from




a septic tank and distributing it equally




among drains in a multiple trench




infiltration system.





Domestic refuse

Dèchets mènagers

Basuras

Putrescible or non-putrescible solid

/waste



waste material from household




activities.





Drain

Drain

Tubo de desague

Underground pipe with pierced holes or




slots to a allow the passage and




infiltration of water.





Drainage

Drainage

Drenaje

Removal of water by ditches or pipes.

E

Effective grain

Granulometrie

Granulomètrica

Range and average of size of grains of

size



sand or other material used as a filter




material.





Effluent

Effluent

Effluente

Partially or totally treated wastewater




coming from a treatment unit and going




to secondary treatment or disposal in.





Emergence/eye

Rèsurgence

Resurgimiento

Place where spring water appears at the




surface.





Evapotranspiration

Evapotranspiration

Evapotranspiración

Removal of water into the air by a




combination of direct evaporation and




transpiration by plants.

F

Faeco-oral

Transmission

Transmición

Transmission of pathogens from fæcal

transmission

féco-orale

oro-fecal

matter to the digestive system via the




mouth (fæcal contamination of water,




food, hands, etc).





Ferrocement

Ferrociment

Ferrocemento

Technique of constructing walls by




applying layers of cement mortar to a




framework of wire/mesh.





Filtration

Filtration

Filtración

Passage of water through a porous layer




(filter) which traps suspended solid.





Free residual

Chlore rèsiduel

Cloro residual

Fraction of available chlorine added to

chlorine

libre

libre

water which remains in excess and




which still has disinfectant power after




30 minutes contact time (0.3 to 0.5mg/l).

G

Grease trap

Bac dègraisseur

Trampa para grasa

Construction for separating fatty




material from wastewater before




disposal in a soakaway pit or infiltration




field.





Groundwater

Eau souterraine

Agua subterr nea

Infiltrated water contained in




underground layers, forming a body of




water.

H

Helminths

Helminthes

Helmintos

Parasitic worms of man and other




animals (e.g. ascaris).





Hot air sterilizer

Poupinel

Pupinel

Equipment for sterilization by hot air




(dry heat) during 120 minutes at 160°C




or 90 minutes at 170°C.





Human wastes

Dèchets humains

Desechos humanos

Faeces and urine (excreta).





Hygiene

Hygiéne

Higiene

Practice related to keeping clean and




healthy.

I

Incineration

Incinèration

Incineración

Action of reducing refuse to ashes (e g.




incineration of medical refuse).





Infiltration

Tranchèe

Zanja de

Structure for disposing of wastewater

trench

d'infiltration

absorción

by underground drainage, using




trenches and drains.





Irrigated garden

Jardin irriguè

Jardin irrigado

Vegetable garden watered with




wastewater recovered from water




points (an alternative technique to




infiltration systems).

L

Leachate

Liquide de

Liquido residual

Liquid resulting from the


fermentation

de fermentación

decomposition of organic matter in a




refuse tip.





Lysol

Lysol

Lysol

Solution of cresol and soap (powerful




disinfectant used for floors and other




surfaces).

M

Medical waste

Dèchets mèdicaux

Desechos mèdicos

Refuse from the activities of a health




centre. Medical waste is potentially




contaminated (see Contamination).





Micro-organisms

Micro-organismes

Micro-organismos

Microscopic animal or vegetable




organisms.





Motorpump

Motopompe

Motobomba

Pump powered by an electric motor or




combustion engine.

N

Non-return valve

Clapet anti-retour

Valvula de

Valve allowing water to flow in one


retención

direction

only, installed at the start of a




delivery pipe from a motorpump to




stop backflow when pumping stops.

O

Oxidize

Oxyder

Oxidar

To transform into the oxidised state by




combination with oxygen.





Organic matter

Matieres organiques

Materias organicas

Residues and extracts of living




organisms.

P

Permeability

Permèabilitè

Permeabilidad

Ability of soil to allow water to




infiltrate.





Pit latrine

Latrine a fosse

Letrina

Latrine with a single pit dug in the


simple

simple

ground.





pH

pH

pH

Expression of the degree of acidity or




alkalinity of a substance. The value of




7.35 is neutral; values above this are




alkaline, values below are acidic.





Phenol Red

Rouge de phènol

Rojo de fenol

Chemical compound used to measure




pH by colorimetric comparison. May be




in tablet form.





Pour-flush

Latrine a siphon

Letrina con

Latrine in which the slab has a pan and

latrine

d'eaude

sifon de ague

water trap which is flushed manually.





Protozoa

Protozoaires

Protozoares

Group of unicellular microscopic




animals, certain of which cause disease




(e.g amoeba).

R

Rainwater

Eaux pluviales

Aguas pluviales

Water from atmospheric precipitation




which may form a water source.





Resurgence

Rèsurgence

Resurgirmiento

See Emergence.





Retention time

Rètention

Retención

Time during which wastewater is held




in a tank to undergo treatment (e.g. 1 to




3 days for a septic tank).





Run-off

Eaux de

Aguas de

Water flowing naturally on the ground


ruissellement

escurrimiento

surface.

S

Sanitary

Inspection sanitaire

Inspección sanitaria

Field observation, using criteria to

inspection



evaluate the environmental hygiene




status of a settlement (e.g. refugee




camp).





Schmutzdecke

Schmutzdecke

Schmutzdecke

Biological layer playing a purifying role,




at the surface of a slow sand filter.





Sedimentation/

Sèdimentation

Sedimentación

Process of deposition of suspended

settling



solids in water by gravity.





Septic tank

Fosse septique

Fosa sèptica

Tank for collection and partial treatment




of household wastewater before




disposal by sub-surface drainage.





Sewage

Eaux vannes

Aguas negras

Wastewater from sanitation installations




(containing excrete).





Slow sand

Filtration lente

Filtración

Water treatment technique which

filtration


lenta en arena

combines mechanical filtration (sand)




with biological purification (see




Schmutzdecke).





Soakaway pit

Puits perdu

Pozo de

Hole filled with stones, used for



absorción

infiltration of wastewater.





Sodium

Hypochlorite

Hipoclorito

Chlorine-generating product (NaOCl)

hypochlorite

de calcium

de calcio

with 5 to 15 % available chlorine, much




less stable than solid products.





Sodium

Thiosulfate

Tiosulfato

Crystalline chemical substance used for

thiosulphat

de calcium

de sodio

dechlorinating drinking water.





Spring

Source

Manantial

Ground water which flows naturally to




the surface.





Standing

Eaux satgnantes

Aguas

Water from rain or human activities

stagnant water

estancadas

which stays on the ground surface.






Sterile

Stèrile

Estèril

That which contains no germs or any




other form of life.





Sterilization

Stèrilisation

Esterilización

Elimination of all microorganisms from




water or from a surface: virus, bacteria




and microscopic fungi.





Stormwater

Eaux pluviales

Aquas pluviales

Rainwater running on the ground

(rein run-off)



surface (collected and disposed of




separately from wastewater).





Stock solution

Solution mére

Solución madre

Concentrated chlorine solution,




generally 1%, used for chlorinating a




known volume of water.





Strainer

Crèpine

Pichancha

Filter at the bottom of a motorpump




suction pipe to keep back large




impurities. Often used with a non




return foot valve.





Submersible pump

Pompe immergèe

Bomba submergida

Pump with the pumping part under the




water (delivery only).





Subsurface

Epandage

Esparcimiento

Treatment and elimination of drainage


souterrain

subterraneo

wastewater by infiltration into the




subsoil.





Sullage/grey water

Eaux mènagéres

Aguas usadas

Wastewater from kitchens and




bathrooms.





Surface pump

Pompe de surface

Bomba de superficie

Handpump or motorpump with the




pumping part at the surface (suction




head limited to 7m).





Surface water

Eau de surface

Agua superficial

Water from precipitation, making




streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, etc.





Suspended

Matiéres en

Materias en

Organic and mineral particles solids

suspension

suspención

suspended

in water.

T

Trench latrines

Feuillèes

Letrinas

Shallow trenches used for defecation in



atrincheradas

certain emergency situation.





Turbid water

Eau turbide

Aqua turbida

Water containing fine particles in




suspension which gives it a cloudy




appearance (turbidity is expressed in




NTU units).

V

Ventilated improved

Latrine ventilee

Letrina ventilada

Pit latrine equipped with a ventilation pit

(VIP) latrine

ameliorèe

mejorada

pipe to reduce flies and odour, with a fly




screen at the top.





Virus

Virus

Virus

Extremely small living organisms,




which can only multiply inside living




cells which they parasitise.

W

Washing aria

Aire de lavage

Lavadero

Area or structure designed for washing




clothes and personal hygiene (washing




slab, wash tub etc).





Wastewater

Eaux usèes

Aguas servidas

Sewage and sullage.





Well

Puits

Pozo

Hole in the ground which enters an




anderground body of water (water table)




to allow its abstraction.

Conversion tables

Distances

Surface

1 km = 0.6214 miles

1 km2 = 0.386 miles2 = 100 ha

1 m = 1.0936 yards

1 ha = 2.471 acres = 10000 m2

1 cm = 0.394 inches

1 m2 = 1.196 yd = 10000 cm2 = 10.76 in2

1 mile = 1.609 km

1 mile2 = 2.59 km2 = 240 acres = 259 ha

1 yard = 0.914 m


1 foot = 0.305 m

1 acre = 0.405 ha = 4.840 yd2

1 foot = 30.48 cm

1 yd2 = 0.836 m2 = 9 ft2

1 inch = 2.54 cm

1 ft2 = 0.09 m2 = 144 inch2 = 930 cm2

1 inch2 = 6.54 cm2


Volume

Capacity

1 m3 = 1.307 yd3 = 1000 litres

1 litre = 0.22UK Gal.

1 m3 = 35.32 ft3

= 1.76 UK Pints

1 cm3 = 0.061 in3

= 0.26US Gal

1 yd3 = 0.765 m3 = 27 ft3

= 2.11US Pints

1ft3 = 28.32 litres = 1728 in3

1ml = 0.0675 fluid ounces (fl.oz.)

1in3 = 16.39 ml

1 UK Gal. = 4.55 litres = 8 UK Pints = 1.20 US Gal.


1 US Gal. = 3.791 litres = 8 US Pints = 0.83UK Gal.

Weight


1 tonne = 0.984 long (UK) tons

1 UK Pint = 0568 litre = 20 fl. oz.

= 1.102 short (US) tons

1 US Pint = 0.473 litre = 16 fl. oz.

= 2204 pounds (lb)

1 fl. oz. = 28.41 ml

1 kg = 2.205 lb


= 35.27 oz

Water weight (at 16.7°, so 62°F)

1 g = 0.03oz 1litre = 1kg


1 UK ton = 1016 kg = 2240 lb

1 UK Gal.= 10lb

1 US ton = 907.1 kg = 2000 lb

1 US Gal.= 8.33lb

1 UK ton = 1.1 US ton


1 lb = 0.4 kg = 16 oz = 453.6g


1oz = 28.35g


Temperatures

From Centigrade to Farenheit: multiply by 1.8 (9/5) and substract 32.
From Farenheit to Centigrade: add 32 and multiply by 0.555 (5/9).
0°F =-17.8°C
32°F =0°C
50°F =10°C
68°F =20°C
98.4°F=36.9°C
104°F =40°C

Materials and work estimate

(From A Handbook of Gravity-Flow Water Systems [18])

EXCAVATIONS Per m3

Ordinary soil 0.55 man - days (m - d)
Gravelly soil 0.77 m - d
Boulder mix 1.10 m - d
Medium rock cutting 1.60 m - d
Hard rock cutting 2.50 m - d

WOOD WORKING Per m3 of finished wood

Skilled labour 18 men - day
Unskilled labour 18 men - day

STONB AGGREGATE PRODUCTlON Per m3 of crushed rock

Unskilled labour 14 men - day

CONCRETE Per m3: 1: 2 4 mix 1:1: 3 mix

Cement 0.25 m3 0.33 m3
Sand 0.50 m3 0.50 m3
Aggregate 1.00 m3 1.00 m3
Mason labour 1.1 man - days 1.1 man - days
Unskilled labour 4.0 man - days 4.0 man - days

PLASTER* Per m3:1:4 mix 1: 3 mix 1: 2 mix
Cement 0.0025 m3 0.0030 m3 0.0050 m3
Sand 0.01 m3 0.01 m3 0.01 m3
Mason labour 0.14 m - d 0.14 m - d 0.14 m - d
Unskilled labour 0.22 m - d 0.22 m - d 0.22 m - d
* Each coat of plaster = 1 cm thick

BRICK MASONRY (1: 4 mortar) Per m3
Bricks 75%
Cement 0.063 m3
Sand 0.25 m3
Mason labour 1.4 m - d
UnskiUed labour 2.8 m - d

RUBPLE-STONE MASONRY (1: 4 mortar) Per m3
Cement 0.089 m3
Sand 0.35 m3
Mason labour 1.4 m - d
Unskilled labour 3.2 m - d

DRESSBD-STONB MASONRY (1: 4 mortar) Per m3
Cement 0.075 m3
Sand 0.30 m3
Mason labour 2.8 m - d
Unskilled labour 5.0 m - d

SPECIPIC WEIGHTS kg/m3
Portland cement: 1,440
Brick masonry: 2,120
Stone masonry: 2,450
Concrete: 2,409
Seasoned wood: 650
Water: 1,000
Dry-stone masonry 2,000

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