INOWASIA internship student from NUoL (Lao PDR) participates to the WAT-HEALTH project and the 4C Water project from ITC (Cambodia)

My name is Mr. Latsamee KINGLATTANA, I’m a master’s student from the National University of Laos, Faculty of Water Resource. Majoring in Integrated Water Resources Management. I had the opportunity to do an internship and exchange at the Water Oriented Living Lab of the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC) in the Kingdom of Cambodia, under the project of INOWASIA INTERNSHIP Received this exchange fund.

I arrived in Cambodia on 01^st  May, 2023, and participated in the internship program at the coastal and wetland environment research laboratory. In my internship I participated in 2 projects: WAT-HEALTH project and 4C Water project.

In the project, WAT-HEALTH is an operational research and training that aims to identify and define the exposure and vulnerability of rural populations to flood-related health risks, in order to anticipate appropriate responses to protection issues. The project also aims to strengthen Cambodian research capacities and existing partnerships, particularly through the provision of methodological tools, equipment and new analytical skills, as well as new interdisciplinary approaches around multiple interrelated themes, namely hydrological dynamics, land use change, bacterial and vector ecology, public health, agricultural practices and health risk modelling. The Study site is the Canal Irrigation system in Kandal Province, Upper Mekong Delta.

In the project, I learned how to use water level measurement equipment, water quality measurements (pH meter) and how to use the equipment. HBO, HOBO Water Level Logger and Diver data loggers is a highly precise, low-cost data logger for measuring concentrations of oxygen in lakes, streams, rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters.

The equipment we used in this survey included: HOBO, HOBO Water Level Logger, Diver Data loggers, pH meter, In-Situ - Water Quality Sensors and Water Level Meter. HOBO is a material that we put in the water for measuring level of water and temperature of the water. Hobo is like a sensor that we put in the water that it can collection the data for a long term.

During collect data from HOBO we must be has a software it called HOBO ware: and we need connect from HOBO-to-HOBO ware as show in Figure 1.3 The HOBO ware is onset’s flagship and analysis software package for HOBO data loggers on Window and Mac. The HOBO ware is software used for launching, reading out, and plotting the data from HOBO. The HOBO ware can be controlling two variables:  Water pressure and Temperature.

The water quality measurements PH meter and Water Level Meter are used to measure water quality and water level to bring data to analyze the differences in each period.

Global Change in Coastal Catchments of Cambodia and Water Resource Vulnerability (4C-Water Project)

This research team aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the coastal and marine environment of Cambodia and other similar regions, through cutting-edge research activities, capacity building and a better understanding of land use and climate change that could affect the characteristics of surface and groundwater hydrology in the coastal zone. The results of the research provide concrete scientific knowledge, a basis for establishing management strategies by local authorities or land use planners, and contribute to informing communities on all marine and coastal issues.

The project will

1. Comprehensive assessment of the surface and groundwater resource in coastal catchments.
2. Characterize the groundwater resource vulnerability to seawater intrusion.
3. Develop innovative participatory monitoring network of the water resource.
4. Produce sets of accessible data related to the water resource evolution.

In the project, the 4C Water which is one project of coastal and wetland environment research laboratory and it's also about the topic of the thesis assessment of groundwater quality which is covered in the study area at the provinces of Koh Kong, Preah Sihanouk Ville, Kampot and Kep. This fieldwork, I have learned and new experiences about collecting groundwater samples for analysis and using tools to measure water quality, for example: Temperature, EC, PH, TDS, ORP, and DO.

After coming back from the fieldwork, I and Miss. Sreyvin OEURN (research team about Assessment of groundwater quality) Water has been filtered and equipment is used to filter water such as: water sample, bottle for water sample filtered, pump for filtered, Membrane filter paper, DI (Deionized water) for clean to remove any contamination. for analysis in the next step There will be alkalinity testing.

During my internship at Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC), my expectation that from this internship is to gain more experience from experts in this project to develop and improve myself and can use in my work in the future related to the research, the risk assessment of groundwater contamination in rural areas in Laos.in addition. I will apply what I have learned in my thesis under the title “Assessment of Groundwater Quality Champhone district, Savannakhet province”.

I would like to exchange the learned for my work and be successful in the future and I am very glad to take an internship at the Water Oriented Living Lab of the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC) in the Kingdom of Cambodia. I have learned the culture, and livelihood and got a warm welcome, and new friends, the good working system. Finally, in the future, I hope I will have the opportunity to take an internship again.

More info here.

INOWASIA is an Erasmus + Capacity Building Higher Education project that promotes a joint action of 11 organisations across 5 countries (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, France and Spain) to train a new generation of water professionals in Southeast Asia. More info