Experience

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  Rural water supply board

  Mar 1981 - Jun 1983

  International voluntary service uk water technician

  Community water supply construction, including spring protection, pumped and gravity systems and borehole drilling with user participation. Responsible for design, funding, supervision and training. (Mar '81 - Jun'83)

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  Oxfam

  Jul 1983 - Dec 1986

  Responsible for OXFAM Water Supply Project; supervised construction of 145 boreholes and the rehabilitation of a provincial capital water supply with rehabilitation of a 350m3 concrete water tower and new distribution system. He assisted the Phnom Penh Municipal Water Supply in equipment procurement. (Aug.'85 - Sep.'86) Team leader of four engineers of UNHCR programme to secure water supply and sanitation for Ugandan refugees. Oversaw drilling operations and developed 120 traditional point sources. The operation progressed from an emergency project to a UNDP programme extended to indigenous settlements. (July'83 - July'85)

  • Water Engineer

    Jan 1985 - Dec 1986

  • Water Engineer - Team Leader

    Jul 1983 - Jul 1985
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  Eastern region water project, nepal binnie & partners, consulting engineers, uk

  Oct 1987 - Aug 1989

  Water supply and sanitation engineer

  Engineer on a UK ODA funded project to design and construct 11 water supply schemes in urban and hill communities, with user hygiene education and improved sanitation. He supervised: - Construction of 3 urban schemes with earthquake resistant RC towers (450m3) and reticulation networks;- Construction and commissioning of two large gravity-fed rural hill schemes; and- Design/implement pilot programme for domestic latrines and storm drainage. (Oct. '87 - Aug '89)

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  Binnie and partners, consulting engineers

  Jan 1990 - Dec 1993

  Senior engineer

  Emergency Rehabilitation of Battambang and Pursat Water Supply, Cambodia: Supervising Engineer for European Community to oversee rehabilitation of water treatment and reticulation systems of two provincial capitals. The scope and specifications for civil and mechanical works were produced. (Nov.'92 - Jan.'93).Improved Public Health for Battambang and Pursat, Cambodia: engineer on multi-disciplinary team for an ODA funded pre-feasibility planning for rehabilitation of water supply, drainage, sewage and solid waste disposal for two provincial capitals. Intervention options were evaluated and costs estimated. The local institutional capacity and socio-economic aspects for urban planning needs were examined. (July - Aug '92)Water utility rehabilitation for Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, Cambodia: Equipment/Procurement Specialist to initiate a UNDP project. The existing management and status of pumping stations, treatment works and reticulation systems were appraised. Rehabilitation works were identified and prioritised for immediate procurement and tender documents were prepared for international bidding. (Mar. – Jul. '92)Chongqing Yangtze River Pollution Control, People's Republic of China: as Engineering Economist, economic analysis was of selected intervention options to improve river water quality. Treatment alternatives for highly polluting industrial wastewater were studied. UK ODA funded this assignment. (Feb - July '92)Nunhead Reservoir, UK: Design Team Leader for the reconstruction of a 70Ml London service reservoir for Thames Water Utilities, including demolition whilst maintaining ongoing service. (Aug.'90 - Oct.'92)Khutiya Irrigation project, Nepal: as Contract Engineer prepared contract documentation for $4M UNCDF project. Reviewed design drawings as a cost estimated BoQ was drawn up. (July - Aug '90, &'91) Show less

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  Rural water & sanitation project, binnie & partners, consulting engineers

  Jan 1993 - Jul 1995

  Team leader

  Principal Engineer and Team Leader of Technical Advisory Unit to establish / build Local Government capacity to execute a World Bank (IDA) funded WATSAN project. Through integral community participation, the project developed comprehensive access to water supply and sanitation facilities in 500 rural villages for 1M people. To year 2000, some 1600 water schemes were constructed. The project had key advocacy components for hygiene and gender awareness. He established procedures and trained engineers in planning, design and construction using affordable sustainable technologies of community choice. He defined procedural steps and formats for baseline surveys, social profiling, monitoring and prepared computerised methods for cost optimised design with manuals drafted for Design, Construction and O&M. (30 man-months) Show less

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  Rural water supply programme, nepal. binnie black and veatch, consulting engineers, uk

  Sept 1995 - Dec 2005

  Principal consultant

  Engaged by DFID to advise the Gurkha Welfare Trust in the implementation of 500 water supply and sanitation schemes in remote poor villages. He supported project management and oversaw advanced training of staff with the adoption of a step-by-step participatory approach to scheme development and procedures to ensure full community commitment and thus sustainability. Social and hygiene promotion with gender sensitivity was central to the demand driven strategy. Progressively, the programme assumed a livelihoods approach with affordable drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting. He trained a design team to be proficient in cost-optimized, computer-aided hydraulic design. A pilot project was launched for horizontal drilling for the enhancement and creation of spring supply. Latterly, with DFID and World Bank coordination, he participated in planning strategies for development of the national water and sanitation sector policy in Nepal. (25 man-months) Show less

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  Jb drilling ltd.

  Jan 1996 - now

  Director

  Mr Armstrong is director of a water well drilling company operating heavy and light rigs in east Africa (4 Kenya and 8 South Sudan) constructing boreholes for water supply and irrigation. All techniques are engaged including rotary drilling with “dth” hammer, air/mud circulation (direct/reverse) and cable percussion. Boreholes to 600mm diameter are constructed for pivot irrigation (to 350cum/hr). Submersible pumps with mains/solar/wind power, water infrastructure systems are designed/installed. He is responsible for management including quality assurance and client relations; JB Drilling is a leading drilling contractor in Kenya and South Sudan. He is a founding member of Kenya Water Industry Association (KWIA), chairs the technical committee and in 2016 drafted “Code of Conduct for Drilling” and was elected Chair of KWIA. Show less

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  Medic programme management unit

  Jan 1996 - Mar 2011

  Director

  Mr Armstrong directed the Programme Management Unit (PMU) of MEDIC, an INGO non-profit organisation supporting water sector projects in South Sudan; this included proposals, survey, design, procurement, logistics, construction, and reporting. He participated in national water sector planning. From 2004/7 he managed 4 contractors with 13 rigs (>800 boreholes) and oversaw development of 28 urban water distribution schemes for rapidly growing county towns; boreholes were installed with solar pumps, with elevated tanks and piped distribution to metered taps. He developed standard processes for design, cost bills of quantity and stepwise participatory modalities and applied software to maximise sustainable user responsibility. Show less

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  Binnie black and veatch, consulting engineers, uk with thames water international consultancy

  May 1997 - Sept 1997

  Consultant water supply engineer, institutional support to water sector

  Engaged by Asian Development Bank to assess status of water supply to ten major urban centres and prepared asset database. He supervised socio-economic surveys to establish user demand. The financial health of the water utilities and the refurbishment needs of physical works were identified (2.5 man-months)

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  Binnie black and veatch consulting engineers

  Jul 1997 - Aug 1997

  Consultant water expert, world bank national water supply & sanitation project

  Evaluated Phase II of a World Bank funded project ($150M IDA loan with matching national funds) and advised on improved procedures for Phase III to serve 5.3 M beneficiaries in five provinces. Modalities for engagement with users, planning, design, operation and management for schemes in place were scrutinised. Guidance was given for preparation of new manuals for design and O&M of water systems (1.5 man-months)

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  Rural water supply in vietnam and east timor, department for international development (dfid)

  Jun 1998 - Oct 1998

  Consultant water specialist

  Directly engaged by DFID (UK government) to appraise the rural water supply sector in Vietnam, including a new national water sector strategy, and identify funding opportunities. He evaluated the UNICEF water supply programme and set up supplementary DFID funding of $2Mpa. A new project was identified to be undertaken by UNICEF in ten poorest communes using enhanced participatory approach. He evaluated the ICRC water supply project in East Timor and identified potential funding initiatives. (2.5 man-months) Show less

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  Mekong delta water resource project, vietnam world bank, east asia pacific division, beijing

  Oct 1999 - Jun 2000

  Consultant water expert

  Directly engaged by World Bank, to prepare a water supply and sanitation project component in six provinces of South Vietnam. He produced a demand responsive, step-wise approach with Commune Water and Sanitation Improvement Plans and drafted a Project Implementation Manual. Necessary strategies were identified to strengthen the institutional capacity of the six executing provincial agencies. (2.5 man-months)

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  Water sector development project, china landel mills with binnie black and veatch, consulting engine

  Oct 2001 - Dec 2004

  Rwss engineer

  Engaged on a DfID funded project to develop demand responsive strategies and methodologies in the RWSS sector in China, long characterised by a supply driven approach. He established a Participatory Project Management Cycle and provided guidance on project design and implementation, in accordance with international best practice. Project processes were adapted to the Chinese context and water sector policy, geared to ensure community ownership and pro-poor policies. He oversaw the formulation and execution of diverse pilot projects in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces to demonstrate the new mechanisms. (7man-months) Show less

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  World bank rwss

  Jan 2005 - Dec 2006

  International drilling expert

  Mr Armstrong was engaged directly by the World Bank on two assignments for specific studies of drilling activities in Africa. He appraised the “universe of drilling” in Mozambique to assess current practices and the capacity of the drilling sector to meet the millennium development goals. He contributed to a study of drilling in Kenya and Sudan as comparison within a wider spectrum of drilling Ethiopia and Nigeria. (2man-months)

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  Urban sector ppta, nepal padeco consultants, japan (asian development bank)

  May 2009 - Nov 2009

  Water and sanitation engineer

  Member of a multi-disciplinary team of consultants for the preparation of Asian Development Bank supported project ($100M) for the pre-engineering of Secondary Towns Integrated & Urban Environmental Improvement Project in the three largest municipalities after the capital Kathmandu. This was centered on the development of north-south economic corridors linking China, Nepal and India. Leading a team of national consultant engineers, he undertook a sector review and the pre-design / cost estimation of components for sewerage, waste water treatment, storm-water drainage, upgrading urban roads, regional solid waste collection and processing, and 100% sanitation for squatter/urban poor communities and school toilets. (3man-months) Show less

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  Skat swiss resource centre and consultancies for development

  Jun 2009 - Jul 2009

  International drilling expert

  Working through the auspices of UNICEF, engaged to appraise the borehole drilling sector of Zambia and prompt the development of a national Code of Practice for Drilling Cost-Effective Boreholes. He guided the planning, decision-making and implementation of national programmes for provision of 10,000 drilled water wells by 2015. This included advice on technology selection for various drilling conditions, specifications, procurement processes, and measures to be taken to develep a healthy national drilling sector. (1man-month) Show less

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  Great rift water ltd.

  Jan 2015 - now

  Director

  Mr Armstrong is a founding director of GRW, established to pursue a variety of water sector initiatives by introducing the right mix of engineering excellence, proven technology and innovative finance to develop sustainable use of water resources to meet growing needs. GRW works with highly regarded partners, including proficient hydro-geologists, sound drilling engineers and worthy financiers to develop water sources, construct boreholes/dams, install pumps, power, treatment, water systems, metering and state-of-art monitoring systems for projects willing and able to pay for economic delivery of potable and/or irrigable water. Show less