The effect of household practices on the deterioration of microbial quality of drinking water between source and point of use in Murewa district, Zimbabwe.

Abstract

Access to safe drinking water is a key determinant of public health and is considered a basic human right essential to avert waterborne diseases. Understanding the association between household drinking water handling practices and the bacteriological quality of water at the point of use is critical since water quality may deteriorate between source and point of use. This study aimed at determining this association in Murewa district in Zimbabwe. Interviews were conducted with 381 household heads and hygiene practices were observed at selected households. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between household drinking water handling practices and independent variables. The variables that were significantly associated with safe water at the point of use were tertiary education (p = 0.006), monthly income (p = 0.005), cleanliness of water collection containers (p = 0.011) and the method of drawing water from containers (p = 0.001). There is a need to intensify health and hygiene education, emphasising the importance of hygienic water handling practices, cleaning of collection containers and hygienic drawing of water from storage containers. The integration of income-generating activities into WASH projects should be strengthened to enable the acquisition of water collection and storage containers that can safeguard the quality of water between collection and consumption.