The Sustainable Development Goals for Water: The Need to Consider Perception, Preference, and Safety

Christine Stauber

doi:10.4269/ajtmh.17-0572

Abstract

In this month’s issue, Brooks et al.1 examine the role of organoleptic perception and its association with bacteriologic drinking water quality in the Nyanza Province of western Kenya. This study focuses on two important issues relevant for drinking water in the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)2: human sensory perception and the measures of water safety, and the need to be able to measure drinking water quality in resource limited settings. To address the lack of studies, the authors researched how household members’ perception of taste, odor, or overall quality were linked to measured levels of Escherichia coli via two detection methods: IDEXX Colilert™ Quantitray (Colilert) and the Compartment Bag Test (CBT). The authors also compared the CBT to Colilert to determine its ability to measure microbiologic water quality in the field.

Highlights

The study highlights an important yet simple concept about drinking water quality: consumer instinct is perhaps a good gauge of safety or change in the quality of the source
Studies on organoleptic perception of drinking water quality have mostly consisted of sophisticated approaches to understanding consumer preference in developed countries.[5]
Few have examined the association between organoleptic perception of water quality and fecal contamination, fewer still in resource limited settings

Summary

Introduction

The study highlights an important yet simple concept about drinking water quality: consumer instinct is perhaps a good gauge of safety or change in the quality of the source. Studies on organoleptic perception of drinking water quality have mostly consisted of sophisticated approaches to understanding consumer preference in developed countries.[5] Few have examined the association between organoleptic perception of water quality and fecal contamination, fewer still in resource limited settings.

Results

Conclusion