The Meanings of Water: Socio-Cultural Perceptions of Solar Disinfected (SODIS) Drinking Water in Bolivia and Implications for its Uptake

Néstor Nuño Martínez,Joan Muela Ribera,Stella María Hartinger,Myriam Cevallos,Daniel Mäusezahl,Susanna Hausmann-Muela,Andri Christen

doi:10.3390/w12020442

Abstract

Solar disinfection (SODIS) of drinking water is a cost-effective household water treatment (HWT) method. Despite its simplicity of use, evidence suggest that SODIS water uptake remains lower than implementers planned. In this paper, we investigate socio-cultural factors associated with SODIS water uptake in rural Andean Bolivia. We conducted 28 semi-structured in-depth interviews and six focus group discussions within the framework of a community randomised trial to assess the uptake of SODIS water in the Bolivian Andes. Participants argued that SODIS does not produce an attractive type of drinking water despite acknowledging that SODIS represents a simple, safe, low-cost, and easy method of preparing safe drinking water. Attitudes towards SODIS water reflected local interpretations of water, health, and illness. The taste of SODIS water, the invisibility of water-borne pathogens, and habituation to untreated water represented the main barriers to SODIS water uptake. Alternative culturally adapted SODIS promotional campaigns (e.g., using herbs and additives to improve SODIS water taste) can increase its perceived desirability.

Highlights

Solar disinfection (SODIS) of drinking water is an effective, low-cost, and practical household water treatment (HWT) method that provides easy access to safe drinking water
We investigate socio-cultural factors associated with SODIS water uptake in rural Andean Bolivia
We identified five analytical domains: (i) local interpretations of child diarrhoea; (ii) awareness of drinking water contamination; (iii) SODIS method efficacy; (iv) the principles of the ‘hot and cold’

Summary

Introduction

Solar disinfection (SODIS) of drinking water is an effective, low-cost, and practical household water treatment (HWT) method that provides easy access to safe drinking water. The SODIS method has shown significant antimicrobial effects in laboratory [1] and experimental field tests [2,3,4] and is currently promoted in more than 50 African, Latin American, and Asian countries [4]. Despite its simplicity and wide dissemination, the uptake of SODIS is lower than implementers planned [5,6,7]. In 2011, less than 5% of households in developing countries used the SODIS method regularly [8]. Various field studies and randomised controlled trials investigated the compliance with the SODIS HWT method in detail. A SODIS programme evaluation in 18 countries

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