## December 2003

# Guidelines For Determining the Arsenic Content of Ground Water 

# in USAID-Sponsored Well Programs in Sub-Saharan Africa

Note: These guidelines are derived from draft Agency-wide guidelines
prepared by the Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade in
2001. As of December 2003, the Agency-wide guidelines were still in
draft form, and no efforts were underway to finalize them. Nonetheless,
the Bureau for Africa Office of Sustainable Development recommends that
these guidelines be followed for all USAID programs in the Africa
region, and compliance with these guidelines is being mandated in all
Initial Environmental Examinations for activities wherein well drilling
is contemplated.

1.  *Background*

Over the last few years, considerable information has been shared about
arsenic problems in the Ganges basin of Bangladesh and India (see WHO
Fact Sheet attached as Annex A). This resulted in a cable being sent out
by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in 1998 (cable
attached as Annex B). Subsequently, USAID has evaluated approaches in
the Agency's ground water development efforts to prevent similar
consequences arising in USAID development activities.

In order to protect the beneficiaries of USAID-sponsored well drilling
programs from long-term arsenic ingestion, all contractors, grantees, or
cooperative agreement groups must follow the protocol below in assuring
that safe water is being supplied, and meeting U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (USEPA) standards.

2.  *USEPA standard for arsenic in drinking water*

On January 22, 2001, the USEPA adopted a new standard for arsenic in
drinking water at 10 ppb (10 micrograms per liter), replacing the old
standard of 50 ppb. The rule became effective on February 22, 2002.
USEPA regulations on arsenic are available at the following URL:
<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/arsenic.html>

3.  *Criteria for selecting which wells to test in a common aquifer.*

One cannot usually be sure of a homogeneous structure within an aquifer.
Aquifers often consist of separate geologic units with different
geochemical properties. Thus, USAID requires that each well be tested.  

4.  *Timing and extent of sampling required*

After installation is completed, the well should be pumped and tested.
Samples for arsenic analysis should be taken once water that is
representative of the aquifer is found, i.e., once equilibrium
conditions have been established (rather than stagnant water around the
well, or water that has been affected by drilling).  A suggested time
for the first sample would be when the temperature, pH, and conductivity
measurements are stable (as determined by field probes). New wells
should be sampled initially and each quarter for a total of 4 quarters.
 At this point USAID would turn over any additional sampling and
analysis results to the local authority. Should the funds in the project
terminate before all required sampling has been completed and samples
analyzed, it will be the responsibility of the USAID Mission to assure
that sampling and analysis is completed.

5.  *Analysis of samples*

At the present time there is one field kit that USAID will accept for
use in measuring arsenic in the field, the Hach Arsenic Kit, which
appears to be reliable in measuring arsenic down to the U.S. standard of
10 ppb (see Annex C for information about this kit). If a sample should
show \>10 ppb by the field kit test, USAID will require that a qualified
laboratory conduct an analysis on this well. The laboratory selected
must be one approved by at least one of the following persons: the
Bureau Environmental Officer, the Regional Environmental Officer (or
Advisor), the country Mission Environmental Officer, or the country Food
for Peace Officer.

## Annex A: WHO Fact Sheet, "Arsenic in Drinking Water"

![](media/image1.wmf)

## Annex B: USAID cable on arsenic testing, May 12, 1998

 ![](media/image2.wmf)

Annex C: *Hach Arsenic Kit information*

![](media/image3.wmf)![](media/image4.wmf)![](media/image5.wmf)![](media/image6.wmf)