Emergency WASH Response to Nepal Floods
As a national organization specializing in WASH and public health, ENPHO is closely monitoring the evolving situation and is preparing to support affected communities in coordination with government agencies, the National WASH Cluster, development partners and local stakeholders.
ENPHO has activated an Emergency Response Deployment Cell to provide coordinated leadership and rapid decision-making for emergency WASH response.
The Cell brings together ENPHO’s management, WASH technical specialists, field operations teams, logistics and production teams, communications and resource mobilization functions, and safety and safeguarding mechanisms.
Depending on assessed needs, Emergency WASH Field Mobilization Teams comprising WASH officers, engineers, water-quality technicians, hygiene/public-health personnel, community mobilizers, logistics support and trained youth volunteers will be mobilized to affected areas.
ENPHO is working closely with its youth network, Paschim Paaila, to prepare and mobilize volunteers for disaster response, community outreach and emergency WASH support.
The youth volunteers will support rapid WASH assessments, hygiene promotion, distribution of essential WASH materials, community engagement and other response activities under appropriate technical supervision.
ENPHO is strengthening its readiness for immediate deployment through:
ENPHO will support rapid assessment of evacuation centres, temporary shelters, affected communities, health facilities and critical water and sanitation systems.
Priority assessments will identify water-source contamination risks, water-quality conditions, sanitation gaps and urgent intervention needs. Findings can support municipalities and response partners in making timely and evidence-based decisions.
Flooding can seriously contaminate drinking-water sources and damage water-supply systems.
ENPHO will mobilize its expert team to: test priority water sources and communal water points; identify potentially contaminated sources; support emergency chlorination and disinfection; monitor residual chlorine and microbiological risks; provide guidance on safe reopening of affected supplies; and communicate clearly with communities about safe and unsafe water sources.
Increased PIYUSH production will further strengthen household-level water-treatment options where appropriate.
ENPHO will assess sanitation conditions in evacuation centres and temporary settlements and support appropriate emergency sanitation solutions where required.
This may include ready-to-install toilets, handwashing facilities, safe excreta-management arrangements and technical guidance for maintaining sanitation services in emergency settings.
Emergency WASH materials will be mobilized based on assessed needs rather than simply on the availability of donated supplies.
Priority support may include safe-water containers, soap, menstrual hygiene materials, household water-disinfection products, cleaning materials and other essential hygiene supplies.
Paschim Paaila volunteers and ENPHO teams will be immediately mobilized to support practical community messages on safe-water handling, handwashing, toilet use, food hygiene, menstrual hygiene and safe cleaning of flood-affected homes.
ENPHO’s role will continue beyond immediate relief.
During the early-recovery phase, ENPHO plans to provide technical support to assess, restore and rehabilitate damaged:
ENPHO’s engineering, water-quality and institutional expertise can help communities and municipalities move from emergency service restoration toward safer and more resilient WASH systems.
ENPHO remains vigilant to emerging response needs and is ready to mobilize its technical teams, emergency supplies and Paschim Paaila youth volunteers as required.
As the situation evolves and the priority needs become clearer, ENPHO will develop and implement concrete, coordinated and needs-based Plan of Action in consultation with government agencies, the National WASH Cluster, affected municipalities, communities and development partners.
Our priority is to ensure that ENPHO’s support is timely, technically sound, well-coordinated and focused on the most urgent WASH and public-health needs of affected communities.
ENPHO stands ready to work alongside communities, government, youth volunteers, WASH partners and development partners to protect public health and support Nepal’s flood-affected communities through emergency response and recovery.