Sewage Water Treatment Consultant-Short Term

SOW Title: Provide Technical Assistance to Control Untreated Sewage Discharge Impact on Potable Water Treatment Plants Intakes.             

Estimated LOE: 100 working days.

Job Classification: (1) Local STTA    

Reporting to: Service Improvement Lead               

Estimated Start Date: 02/July/2024

Estimated End Date:   19/Dec/2024

Duty Station: Baghdad with frequent travel to the Anbar.

A. Project Background:

The USAID Iraq Together/Ma’an (معاً) activity (Ma’an hereafter), supports select Iraqi government entities at the national, regional, provincial, and district levels to improve service delivery performance through the use of technology and process standardization while increasing the availability of and access to information, particularly related to public services. Ma’an also fosters improved and inclusive relationships and engagement between the Government and the communities they serve. Ma’an’s goal is more equitable, efficient, and sustainable public services.

Ma’an’s objectives are:

1- Targeted Iraqi government entities improve and are more inclusive in service delivery. The government improves service delivery through responsiveness to citizen needs, consultation with citizens, improved transparency, and use of green practices technology.

2- Strengthened democratic and participatory governance of targeted Iraqi service delivery institutions. Citizen perception of government changes through increased participation in governance, improved access to government information, and stronger role of Iraqi NGOs in advocating for communities as well as increased public education regarding citizen roles and responsibilities.

3- Response to windows of opportunity for change. Gaps in expertise and information required to improve government service delivery and increase citizen participation are addressed.

Ma’an utilizes an Accountability ecosystem approach grounded in inclusion and localization to improve service delivery and build trust. The approach mobilizes Iraqi government entities, civil society organizations, emerging civic movements, issue-based groups, media, and the private sector to co-create interventions. This approach allows diverse local partners to exercise their rights and responsibilities, learn by doing, analyze performance data, and scale what works.

B. Purpose:

It was indicated at the stakeholder workshop that there is a huge amount of raw sewage water being discharged daily into rivers without treatment. In some cases, the sewage water discharge is near the potable water treatment plants (WTPs) intakes. This became the main source for water pollution impacting the quality of potable water.

To implement this intervention, Ma’an will engage one local STTA sewage water treatment (SWT) consultant who will work with the provincial sewage directorate (PSD) and relevant entities in targeted provinces in collecting all the required data to identify all existing discharge outlet points either from existing Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) outfalls or directly from the sewage and stormwater networks. The SWT consultant also will work with specialized team   in targeted provinces to check the chemical characteristics of these outfalls, particularly the five-days Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), and make sure it does not exceed the allowable limits which is constrained according to the Iraqi standards. The suggested practical solutions that Ma’an will support in the 4 provinces are:

1. Provide technical support to the sewage directorate to improve the efficiency of the sewage treatment process through providing a rehabilitation plan for treatment units to make sure the plant outfall does not exceed the permissible limits and protect water resources.
2. In coordination with the Objective 2 team on intervention 2.7, provide technical support to the sewage directorate through an awareness campaign to advocate for behavior change.
3. A technical study to support the targeted sewage directorates to change the path of the identified outfall points and distancing them away from water intakes. Part of the study will be developed through the consultation sessions proposed under Objective 2 Intervention 2.3. The consultation sessions will bring together the provincial council (PC) service committee, governor’s office (GO), civil society organizations (CSOs), and Mukhtars to identify the appropriate solutions that lead to reducing sewage water discharge into the river.

Upon the completion of this intervention, solutions to reduce the impact of sewage water on potable WTPs’ intakes will be developed. Ma’an will support the implementation of the solutions in subsequent implementation plans.

C. Objectives:

The main objectives of the consultancy are:

• Assist provincial governments in identify causes behind the discharge of untreated sewage into the rivers directly and provide the necessary solutions.
• Decrease the water pollution in the river.

D. Responsibilities and Key Tasks of the Consultant:

Under this Scope of Work, the sewage water treatment consultant shall perform the following tasks:

– Task 1: Hold Introductory Meetings with Stakeholders to Introduce the Intervention Obtain Buy-in and Create a Specialized Team.

In coordination with Ma’an field team, the consultant will hold meetings with relevant stakeholders to introduce Ma’an, the interventions, the outputs, and outcomes that will be achieved upon the completion of the intervention. Ma’an will obtain buy-in from all the relevant stakeholders and will request the formation of a specialized team per a pre-defined selection criterion.

– Task 2: Hold Meetings with Relevant Stakeholders to Identify the Causes Behind Sewage Water Discharged into the River.

The consultant will facilitate discussions with the specialized team and will equip the team with the necessary tools to identify the causes behind the discharge of raw sewage into the rivers.

– Task 3: Conduct Site Visits to Identify Discharge Outlets in Targeted Districts that Discharge Untreated Sewage Water into the River.

The consultant will collaborate closely with a specialized team to gather all necessary data to identify existing discharge outlet points within the targeted area. This includes outlets from existing STPs and those directly from the sewage and stormwater networks. The consultant will support the specialized team in determining the location of all existing STPs outfalls in the targeted area, utilizing digital tools such as Geographic Information System (GIS) and/or satellite imagery. Specifically, the consultant will assist relevant stakeholders in identifying but not limited to:

• All existing STPs outfalls within the targeted districts.
• The location of STPs outfalls near potable water treatment plant intakes to ensure there is no contamination risk.

Additionally, the consultant will work with stakeholders to identify all existing stormwater outlets affected by sewage due to illegal connections to the stormwater network. By leveraging advanced digital tools and collaboration with stakeholders, this initiative aims to enhance understanding and management of wastewater and stormwater systems, contributing to improved environmental and public health outcomes.

– Task 4: Provide the Specialized Team with Practical Solutions for Outstanding Load of Pollution that Goes into the River.

Upon the completion of the data gathering phase outlined in the previous task, the consultant will collaborate with the specialized team in targeted provinces to assess the chemical characteristics of these outfalls, with a particular focus on the five-day Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5). It is essential to ensure that the BOD5 levels do not exceed the allowable limits set by Iraqi standards, specifically the Rivers Conservation Regulation no.25 of 1967.
To enhance the operating efficiency of BOD5, the following equation can be utilized but is not limited to:

Efficiency(%)=[BODin-BODout]/BODin x 100

By applying this equation, the consultant and specialized team can assess the effectiveness of wastewater treatment processes in reducing BOD5 levels to meet regulatory standards. This process ensures compliance with environmental regulations and contributes to the protection and preservation of water resources in accordance with Iraqi standards.

The consultant, in collaboration with the specialized team, will work to provide practical solutions to ensure that the locations of STPs outfalls fall within allowable limits from potable water system intakes to mitigate contamination risks. The suggested practical solutions that consultant will support include:

• Provide technical support to the sewage directorate to improve the efficiency of the sewage treatment process through providing a rehabilitation plan for treatment units to make sure the plant outfall does not exceed the permissible limits and protect water resources.
• In coordination with the Objective 2 team on intervention 2.7, provide technical support to the sewage directorate through an awareness campaign to advocate for behavior change.
• A technical study to support the targeted sewage directorates to change the path of the identified outfall points and distancing them away from water intakes. Part of the study will be developed through the consultation sessions proposed under Objective 2 intervention 2.5. The consultation sessions will bring together the PC service committee, GO, CSOs and Mukhtars to identify the appropriate solutions that lead to reducing sewage water discharge into the river.

– Task 5: Work with Specialized Team to Issue Recommendations to be Submitted to the Governor for Review, Input and Approval.

The consultant in cooperation with Ma’an team will work with the specialized team to submit the final recommendations to the governor and/or the provincial service effort team at the targeted provinces to reduce the discharge of untreated sewage water to reduce contamination.

– Task 6: Work with Specialized Team to Implement the Approved Solutions to Decrease the Sewage Water Discharge into the Rivers.

The consultant in cooperation with Ma’an team will provide technical assistance to the sewage directorates and GOs to take the lead on implementing the approved solutions to reduce sewage water discharge and contamination. Furthermore, the consultant will support the sewage directorates and GOs in prioritizing the implementation of solutions.

– Task 7: Prepare the Final Report.

Develop a final report including all supporting documents developed during the implementation of the intervention. The report will include a general description of data gathering and the proposed practical solutions. The report will include a description of how the intervention was implemented highlighting achievements, results, recommendations, next steps, challenges, lessons learned, and proposed solutions. The report should be submitted in English and Arabic.

Application Instructions:

To apply please fill out this form: Iraq Together Job Application Form (smartsheet.com)

Chemonics is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its selection and employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factors.  

Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Position closes upon candidate selection. Early submissions encouraged for best consideration.