We like to showcase the Austrian Red Cross’ recent ongoing developments in data management of WASH field laboratories through the evolution of the Faecal Sludge Field Laboratory (https://www.faecalsludgefieldlaboratory.com/, FSFL).

The Austrian Red Cross has extensive experience in the operation of field laboratories through deployments of its WASH ERUs and recently through the development and deployment of the Faecal Sludge Field Laboratory. Data management is highly important in (WASH) field laboratories to ensure the upkeep of public health of beneficiary populations during humanitarian aid operations.

In recent years, urban disaster response operations, set-up of mega refugee & IDP camps have increased, while established camps are always longer used. These facts have started to change the sanitation responses of the humanitarian aid community from only the construction of latrines to the set-up of the full faecal sludge management chain.

Similar to water purification units, (field) faecal sludge treatment plants need to be continuously monitoring to high treatment efficiency and upkeep of quality standards.

The Faecal Sludge Field Laboratory is a joint, open-source development between the Austrian Red Cross and several academic partners (Eawag & University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna) mainly funded by the Humanitarian Innovation Fund. The FSFL allows monitoring of faecal sludge and wastewater treatment plants directly in the field.

Compared to water purification units the monitoring of faecal sludge treatment plants is more complex. Several training missions, a field test and the FSFL’s first deployment showcased that the customary data management style (spreadsheet based and separated on several laptops) of water field laboratories was stretched to and beyond its limits.

The Faecal Sludge Field Laboratory Information Management System (FSFL IMS) project is funded by the Swedish Red Cross and is focused on the adaption of a server-based open-source LIMS to use with the FSFL.           

For: WASH practitioners, WASH laboratory managers and technicians

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