Household Water Treatment Methods Research Articles

Determinant Factors of Microbial Drinking Water Quality at the Point of Use in Rural Ethiopia: A Case Study of the South Gondar Zone

Access to safe drinking water is a fundamental human need for health and well-being implemented globally by the United Nations under Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6. Storing drinking water is common in rural areas of Ethiopia due to off-premises water sources and intermittent piped water supply. However, this practice can lead to further contamination during collection, transport, and storage, posing a risk to public health. The objective of this study was to identify the determinant factors of drinking water quality at the point of use in the rural setting of northwestern Ethiopia, South Gondar zone. A questionnaire survey was conducted, and water samples from 720 households were collected during the wet and dry seasons. The determinant factors were identified using the multivariable logistic regression model. About 39.2% of the surveyed households had basic water supply services, 41.9% were using unimproved sources, and 8.3% were using surface water. Only 9.4% were using basic sanitation services, and 57.2% were practicing open defecation. Safe water storage was practiced by 84.3% of households, while only 2% engaged in household water treatment. About 14% of dry and 8% of wet season samples from the storage were free from fecal coliform bacteria. Furthermore, 52.9% of dry and 62.2% of wet season samples fell under the high microbial health risk category. The season of the year, the water source type, storage washing methods, and the socioeconomic status of the household were identified as key predictors of household drinking water fecal contamination using the multivariable logistic regression model. It was observed that the drinking water in households had a high load of fecal contamination, posing health risks to consumers. To tackle these problems, our study recommends that stakeholders should enhance access to improved water sources, implement source-level water treatment, increase access to improved sanitation facilities, advocate for safe household water management practices, and endorse household water treatment methods.

EVALUATION OF THE EFFICACY OF CHLORINE-CONTAINING COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS FOR WATER DECONTAMINATION AGAINST COLIFORM BACTERIA

Problem. Water is a key factor in the transmission of intestinal infections. During war conflicts, the risk of outbreaks of such infections increases due to infrastructure damage, the inaccessibility of central water supplies, and the impossibility of governmental institutions to control drinking water quality. In such situations, the need arises for household water treatment methods. Aim. To evaluate the efficacy of seven commercial water treatment products available in the Ukrainian market against enteric bacteria and to compare their efficacy. Methods. The activity of water purification products against the model microorganism Escherichia coli ATCC25922 was evaluated using serial dilution methods followed by viable count assessment. The main results: High efficacy of the studied preparations against enteric bacteria was detected. In each test, a significant decrease in the initial titer of Escherichia coli from 1,2·10 6 CFU/cm 3 to ˂ 10 CFU/cm 3 was observed after the exposure time declared by the manufacturer. Conclusions: The studied water treatment products from Ukrainian and foreign manufacturers were effective against enteric bacteria and met the WHO criteria for efficiency, regardless of the nature of the active compound (chlorine dioxide, sodium dichloroisocyanurate, or polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride).

SODIS with hydrogen peroxide: an effective household water treatment option under sub-tropical climatic conditions of bangladesh.

Solar disinfection (SODIS) is an affordable and sustainable Household Water Treatment (HWT) method endorsed by WHO. However, its limitations include longer sunlight exposure requirements, incomplete microbial inactivation, and post-SODIS microbial regrowth during monsoon and winter seasons in subtropical climates. To address these limitations, the performance of SODIS with H2O2 for microbial inactivation during the monsoon and winter seasons in Bangladesh was evaluated following the WHO HWT protocols. Moreover, the process was verified using drinking water samples collected from restaurants, households, and slums. All SODIS experiments were conducted using reflective reactors with PET bottles and plastic bags, adding 10 mg/L of H2O2, and exposing them to sunlight for 6 h. The results showed that E. coli was completely inactivated within 2 h in plastic bags and within 3 h in PET bottles during the monsoon season, achieving an LRV of > 5. In winter, both achieved an LRV > 5 within 3 h and plastic bags showed more efficient in microbial inactivation than PET bottles. The microbial inactivation rates were 5 times higher than those of conventional SODIS. No regrowth of microorganisms was observed during the subsequent post-SODIS period of 12 h and 24 h at room temperature. The study findings suggest that SODIS with H2O2 has the potential for complete microorganism inactivation with shorter sunlight exposure in subtropical climates with moderate to low solar irradiation and can be adopted as a reliable disinfection option for rural and urban communities with unsafe drinking water supply.

Effectiveness and health risk assessment of drinking water from different sources treated by local household water treatment methods in Bamenda, Cameroon

Abstract This study accessed the efficiency and health risks of drinking water from different sources treated by filtration, boiling, chlorination, flocculation, and solar disinfection. The microbial quality of 45 treated water samples from boreholes, wells, and pipe-borne water was analyzed to determine treatment effectiveness and to quantify risk using quantitative microbial risk assessment. The effectiveness of each treatment method was a function of sampling sources (p < 0.05) and location (p < 0.10), chlorination and boiling being the most efficient methods (100%). Shiegella in well water samples treated by filtration and flocculation had the highest daily infection risk of 69.5 × 10−1 and 67.5 × 10−1 pppd. The annual risk of infection from Salmonella, Shigella, and Staphylococcus ranged from 7.8 × 10−1 to 1.00 pppy, exceeding the U.S. EPA annual infection benchmark (≤10−4 pppy). Salmonella, Shigella, and Staphylococcus had the highest risk of illness of 4.50 × 10−1, 3.30 × 10−1, and 9.80 × 10−1, respectively. All disease burden values exceeded the WHO disease burden benchmark (≤10−6 DALYs/pppy), with Staphylococcus and Salmonella contributing the highest disease burden of 4.71 × 10−2 and 2.13 × 10−2, DALYs/pppy. Therefore, boiling and chlorination are the best disinfection methods for the pathogens tested.

Ancient terminal water treatment methods still work: Removing micropollutants in drinking water by simultaneous boiling and VUV

Micropollutant in drinking water may not be effectively removed during centralized treatment. To reduce potential health risks, water treatment at the user terminal is warranted. This study investigated the performance of VUV coupled with boiling to simultaneously remove contaminants, a common household water treatment method in developing countries, for the treatment of micropollutants. Compared to individual boiling or VUV treatment, the VUV/BO process was more effective in improving the degradation of micropollutants. The results showed that heating promoted the direct photolysis and HO oxidation capabilities in the VUV process, with the HO generation increasing from 36.56 μM at 30 °C to 80.48 μM at 90 °C. At a reaction temperature of 100 °C, the degradation rates of malathion (MAL), dimethoate (DMT), trichloroacetic acid (TCAA), and dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) by VUV were increased by 0.81, 1.19, 1.34, and 0.90 times respectively compared to 25 °C. Analysis of the organic composition of actual water samples showed that the total fluorescence intensity of organic matter decreased significantly after VUV oxidation, mainly degrading humic-like substances. Using GC–MS analysis, this study identified 11 oxidative products of the DMT, and proposed two possible degradation pathways. Toxicity evaluation of the intermediate products of DMT demonstrated that they were less toxic than the parent contaminants. The results indicate that the heating-coupled water treatment process provides an effective technology for the treatment of micropollutants in terminal drinking water, and this process is worth promoting in the future.

Groundwater Purification Using Bio-Sand Filter Modified with Iron Oxide-Coated Sand and Activated Carbon

Groundwater is the most used natural resource which serves different diverse purposes and alternative water supply for households mainly in rural areas. However, it is polluted by contaminants such as heavy metals, total hardness and coliform bacteria. One such promising water treatment technology for households in rural areas is the Bio-sand Filter (BSF) because of its low cost and efficient removal of contaminants. Although BSF is efficient to remove contaminants, there is still needed to improve the flow rate and the performance of removing pollutants from groundwater. Therefore, this study focused on the development of a laboratory-scale Modified Bio-sand Filter (MBSF) that was combined with Iron-oxide Coated Sand (IOCS) with Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) made from coconut shells to purify groundwater. Laboratory scale of filters were performed in this study. Groundwater was collected from household’s well water in Kean Svay district, Kandal province. The filters were operated by filling the water source with 10 liters per day and operated for 20 days. Heavy metals were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) and Arsenator. Total hardness was analyzed by Ion Chromatography (IC). Target coliform bacteria such as E. coli and total coliform were cultured by spread plate method. Flow rate was observed by setting time for 1 minute and measure the volume of effluent water. By the results, all physicochemical parameters of MBSF were within the standard limit of drinking water. MBSF showed significantly better removal efficiency for arsenic with 100% than BSF while MBSF can also remove Mn and Fe which was under the drinking water standard of WHO and MIME. Total hardness was achieved more than 80% in MBSF, while BSF with only 40%. MBSF also performed slightly better than BSF as well in removing both E. coli and total coliform with more than 90% reduction. The flow rate of the MBSF was faster about two and a half times than the flow rate of BSF with the average of 0.15 L/min for MBFS and 0.06 L/min for BSF. The results from this study contributed to the improvement of household water treatment method for purifying groundwater efficiently in rural areas.

Public Perceptions of Water Quality in the Lake Bunyonyi Sub-Catchment, Western Uganda

Lake Bunyonyi ecosystem plays vital roles in water resource conservancy and tourism. Nevertheless, the rapid increase in human population and the unrelenting human activities are threatening the values, functions, and ecological integrity of the lake. In this study, the public perceptions of drinking water quality and its health implications in the Lake Bunyonyi Sub-catchment, Western Uganda are presented. A closed-ended questionnaire was administered to 267 respondents living within one Kilometre away from the lake shores. Besides, observation and interview methods were used to complement data collected by the questionnaire method. Results indicate that the prominent activities around the lake are peasantry and small-scale businesses attributed to soil fertility and rural tourism. Despite the lake being a popular source of drinking water in the sub-catchment, the quality of its water suffers from diffuse pollution and little has been done to avert it. This study recommends regular surveillance and water quality testing to increase people’s awareness of water quality. Besides, the local authorities should train people the alternative environmentally-friendly farming practices like afforestation with correct tree species and agro-forestry practices to increase vegetation cover and reduce soil erosion debris washed into the lake system. Environmental-friendly household water treatment methods (biosand filtration and solar disinfection) should be promoted to improve the quality of drinking water.

Household water treatment practice and associated factors among rural Kebeles (villages) in west Guji zone, southern Ethiopia: Community based cross-sectional study

IntroductionGlobally there is progress in safe water access. However, in sub-Saharan Africa only 57% of the population has an improved water supply, this resulting in water borne diseases. In area where safe water access is limited household water treatment was best alternative. However, the household water treatment practice in west Guji zone community does not studied yet. Thus this study aimed to assess household water treatment practice and associated factors among rural community in west Guji Zone. Methods and materialA community based descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted from June–July 2021. Semi-Structured questionnaire was used for interviewing the respondents. The study participants were selected by simple random sampling method. The raw quantitative data were coded and entered into Epi-Data version 3.1 and the data were exported to SPSS version 26 for Bivarate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval was used to measure the strength of association and statistical significance was declared at p-value <0.05. ResultsThe result of the study shows that, only 35.8% of the study participant was practicing household water treatment. The most commonly practiced household water treatment methods were; chlorination (44.9%), boiling (24.5%) and cloth filter (19.5%). Factors significantly associated with household water treatment were educational status (P-0.001, AOR = 2.49, 95% CI = 1.41–5.02), Income (p < 0.001, AOR-4.10, CI - 5.22–10.22), and knowledge of household water treatment methods (P-0.04, AOR 1.56, CI 1.24–3.67). ConclusionFrom the finding it was evident that the household water treatment practice was limited. Besides, the educated people, households with high monthly income and have knowledge about household water treatment were associated with household water treatment.

Removal and transformation of disinfection by-products in water during boiling treatment

Disinfection by-products (DBPs) remain an ongoing issue because of their widespread occurrence and toxicity. Boiling is the most popular household water treatment method and can effectively remove some DBPs. However, the transformation behavior of DBPs during boiling is still unclear, and the key contributors to toxicity have not been identified. In this study, the changes in the concentrations of DBPs in the single-DBP systems and the multi-DBP systems during boiling were monitored, and in-depth discussions on the removal and transformation of DBPs in both systems were carried out. The results showed that boiling was effective in removing volatile DBPs (over 90% for TCAL, TCAN, and DCAN, and over 60% for TCM), but ineffective for non-volatile DBPs (around 20% for TCAA and below 10% for DCAA and MCAA). By hydrolysis and decarboxylation, the transformation occurred among DBPs, i.e., 55% TCAL to TCM, followed by 23% DCAN to DCAA, 22% TCAN to TCAA, and 10% TCAA to TCM. The transformations were found to be significantly influenced by other co-existing DBPs. In multi-DBP systems, the transformations of DCAN to DCAA and TCAN to TCAA were both promoted, while the transformation of TCAN to TCAA was inhibited. Transformation and volatilization are the two processes responsible for DBP removal. Toxicity estimates indicated that boiling was effective in reducing the toxicity of DBPs and improving the safety of the water, despite the interconversion of DBPs in drinking water during boiling. This study emphasized the importance of studying the interconversion behaviors of DBPs in drinking water during boiling and provided practical information for end-use drinking water safety.

Access to basic drinking water services, safe water storage, and household water treatment practice in rural communities of northwest Ethiopia

Protecting water from cross contamination at source and point of use is an important strategy to improve water quality. However, water safety measures at the source and point of use may not be implemented in the rural communities. This community-based cross-sectional study was, therefore, conducted among 1190 randomly selected households in a rural setting of northwest Ethiopia to assess access to basic drinking water services, safe water storage, and household water treatment practices. Water service level was determined using JMP criteria and practices that prevent cross contamination of water at point of use were used to determine safe water storage. Results showed that 23.0% of the households had access to basic water services; 37.0% practiced safe water storage; and 15.4% practiced one or more household water treatment methods. Public taps (54.5%) and protected spring (25.1%) were the common water sources to rural communities in northwest Ethiopia. Boiling (43.2%), chlorination or water guard (26.8%), and plain sedimentation (23.0%) were among the household water treatment methods commonly practiced in the area. In conclusion, rural households in the studied region has low access to basic water services. Safe water storage practice was also low in the area and household water treatment is not commonly practiced.

Solar disinfection – An appropriate water treatment method to inactivate faecal bacteria in cold climates

Solar disinfection (SODIS) is an inexpensive drinking water treatment method applied in tropical and sub-tropical low-income countries. However, it has been unclear whether it functions adequately also in colder climates. To investigate this issue, SODIS experiments were performed in the humid continental climate of Finland by exposing faecally contaminated drinking water to natural solar radiation at different water temperatures (8–23 °C) and UV intensities (12–19 W/m2) in polyethylene (PE) bags. To establish an adequate benchmark, SODIS experiments with the same experimental design were additionally conducted in the Mediterranean climate of Spain in typical conditions of SODIS application (~39 °C and 42 W/m2).Out of all experiments, the highest coliform and enterococci inactivation efficiencies in terms of lowest required doses for 4-log disinfection (25 Wh/m2 and 60 Wh/m2, respectively) were obtained in humid continental climate at the lowest studied mean water temperature (8–11 °C). Despite the low mean UV irradiance (~19 Wh/m2), 4-log disinfection of coliforms and enterococci were also reached fast in these conditions (1 h 27 min and 3 h 18 min, respectively). Overall, the doses required for disinfection increased as the water temperatures and UV intensities of the experiments rose. Disinfection of 4-logs (> 99.99%) of both bacteria was reached in all SODIS experiments within 6 h, suggesting SODIS could be a sufficient household water treatment method also in colder climates, unlike previously thought.The effects of different water temperatures on bacterial inactivation were also tested in the absence of sunlight. Together the obtained results indicate that while water temperatures below or close to the optima of coliforms and enterococci (~10 °C) alone do not cause inactivation, these temperatures may enhance SODIS performance. This phenomenon is attributed to slower bacterial metabolism and hence slower photorepair induced by the low water temperature.

Willingness of boarding school students in Tanzania to employ point-of-use water treatment: a case study

Abstract Access to safe drinking water is a challenge for students in primary and secondary schools in Tanzania. Only 32.7% of primary and secondary schools in Tanzania have access to safe drinking water and the point-of-use water treatment is rarely used. The traditional water disinfection method by boiling is often limited in boarding schools due to cost and time constraints. The objectives were to assess the willingness and attitude of boarding school students toward the use of the alternative water treatment method and determine the quality of drinking water before and after the introduction of the new method. Chlorine tablets were used due to their availability, ease of use, cost, and effectiveness. Weekly evaluations on usage, performance, and acceptability of chlorine tablets were assessed on 42 randomly selected students over a 3-week period in parallel with water sampling and testing before and after using chlorine tablets. Before the introduction of chlorine, only 17% of the students were aware of chlorine tablets, and water sources tested positive for fecal coliform. After introducing the new method, there was a significant increase (p &amp;lt; 0.05) in the attitude of students toward water treatment (100%), water quality (78%), and water consumption (67%). The work demonstrates the need to provide access to cost-effective household water treatment methods, especially in public schools that lack access to safe water.

Implementation of point-of-use water treatment methods in a rural Tanzanian community: a case study

Abstract This study was conducted in an agro-pastoral community in Northern Tanzania, where water sources are contaminated, and point-of-use water treatment is rarely used. The objectives of the study were to determine the quality of drinking water at the household level and to assess the perception and attitude towards the treatment methods that were introduced to community members. The three treatment methods evaluated were chlorine tablets, silver-infused ceramic tablets, and solar water disinfection (SODIS). These methods were selected due to their availability, ease of use, cost, and effectiveness in water with high levels of coliform bacteria. Each home within the study area was provided with one of three treatment methods. The use, performance, and acceptability of the new water treatment methods were assessed over a three-week period. Prior to the introduction of the methods, 40% of households reported that they treated water regularly. However, 80% of the household water samples tested positive for Escherichia coli. After introducing the new methods, 60% of households increased their water consumption, and all water samples tested negative for E. coli during the final week of testing. The work demonstrates the need to provide access to cost-effective household water treatment methods, especially in rural communities that lack access to potable water.

Assessment of the Feasibility and Acceptability of Using Water Pasteurization Indicators to Increase Access to Safe Drinking Water in the Peruvian Amazon.

.Approximately two billion people lack access to microbiologically safe drinking water globally. Boiling is the most popular household water treatment method and significantly reduces diarrheal disease, but is often practiced inconsistently or ineffectively. The use of low-cost technologies to improve boiling is one approach with potential for increasing access to safe drinking water. We conducted household trials to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of water pasteurization indicators (WAPIs) in the Peruvian Amazon in 2015. A total of 28 randomly selected households were enrolled from a rural and a peri-urban community. All households trialed two WAPI designs, each for a 2-week period. Ninety-six percent of participants demonstrated the correct use of the WAPIs at the end of each trial, and 88% expressed satisfaction with both WAPI models. Ease of use, short treatment time, knowledge of the association between WAPI use and improved health, and the taste of treated water were among the key factors that influenced acceptability. Ease of use was the key factor that influenced design preference. Participants in both communities preferred a WAPI with a plastic box that floated on the water’s surface compared with a WAPI with a wire that was dipped into the pot of drinking water while it was heating (77% versus 15%, P < 0.001); we selected the box design for a subsequent randomized trial of this intervention. The high feasibility and acceptability of the WAPIs in this study suggest that these interventions have potential to increase access to safe water in resource-limited settings.

Assessing Drinking Water Quality at the Point of Collection and within Household Storage Containers in the Hilly Rural Areas of Mid and Far-Western Nepal.

Accurate assessments of drinking water quality, household hygenic practices, and the mindset of the consumers are critical for developing effective water intervention strategies. This paper presents a microbial quality assessment of 512 samples from household water storage containers and 167 samples from points of collection (POC) in remote rural communities in the hilly area of western Nepal. We found that 81% of the stored drinking water samples (mean log10 of all samples = 1.16 colony-forming units (CFU)/100 mL, standard deviation (SD) = 0.84) and 68% of the POC samples (mean log10 of all samples = 0.57 CFU/100 mL, SD = 0.86) had detectable E. coli. The quality of stored water was significantly correlated with the quality at the POC, with the majority (63%) of paired samples showing a deterioration in quality post-collection. Locally applied household water treatment (HWT) methods did not effectively improve microbial water quality. Among all household sanitary inspection questions, only the presence of livestock near the water storage container was significantly correlated with its microbial contamination. Households’ perceptions of their drinking water quality were mostly influenced by the water’s visual appearance, and these perceptions in general motivated their use of HWT. Improving water quality within the distribution network and promoting safer water handling practices are proposed to reduce the health risk due to consumption of contaminated water in this setting.

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

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.

Water Safety Practices and Occurrence of Diarrhea Among Children Under Five in Different Households of Njemp Community, Baringo County, Kenya

Water safety and quality is a key component in public health. Despite substantial progress made during the last decades, 11% of the global population are still not accessing adequate clean water and only 64% are able to access improved sanitation. Household water treatment methods, such as boiling or chlorination, have long been recommended in developing countries. Diarrhea diseases cause major public health problem in children under-five years of age, in addition, Water safety practices has been shown to affect health status. More research has focused on information about water safety practices at household level with minimal information on the relationship between water safety practices and occurrence of diarrhea among children below 5 years. This study was carried out to outline the occurrence of childhood diarrhea in relation to water safety practices. The study adopted a cross-sectional study design. This was among Njemp community in Baringo County, Kenya. Assessed was the household socio-demographic characteristics, sources of water, methods of domestic water treatment and the prevalence of diarrhea. Four hundred and twenty-two (422) households were targeted. However, data is reported for 401 households. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire also the laboratory water analysis from different sources and treatment methods was done to determine the level of E. coli . Analysis was carried out using SPSS software. Chi-square was used for categorical variables while Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used for non-categorical variables to show the association between water safety practices and occurrence of diarrhea. Results show that majority of mothers (50.6%) were of age 26 – 35 years and married (78.3%). There was no significant difference in the mother’s various ages. The study also notes that most of the respondents (46.9%) had education up to primary level. Findings from household income indicates that majority of households earned less than Ksh. 10,000. River was the main source of water (50.6%). A few (31.2% and 18.2%) used borehole and rainwater respectively. The study found that river was the most contaminated source of water (50 MPN/100 mL) which was unsafe for human consumption according to WHO classification. On water treatment, majority (37.2%) used Moringa oleifera seeds for water treatment which acts as a natural absorbent and antimicrobial agent. 20.9% did not treat their water. The prevalence of diarrheal was 57.6%. There was a significant relationship between the water safety practices and occurrence of diarrhea. This study concludes that water safety practices of the Njemp community was low and as thus led to increased occurrence of diarrhea. This study recommends to the County Government of Baringo to come up with a centralized water treatment plant or dig boreholes and supply water to the people in Baringo County. Keywords: Water Safety, Diarrhea, children under 5 years DOI : 10.7176/FSQM/92-06 Publication date: December 31 st 2019

Spatiotemporal Trend of Waterborne Disease in Enugu Urban, Nigeria: A Retrospective Study

Many water sources in Nigeria are contaminated with pathogens. Several towns have witnessed outbreaks of enteric diseases due to poor hygienic standards of available drinking water. This research was undertaken to determine the spatiotemporal trends of waterborne diseases (WBDs) in Enugu, Nigeria using retrospective records from January 2013 to December 2016. A total of 18,495 individual reported cases of WBDs were analysed. The analysis showed an increasing temporal trend from 2013 to 2015, with a slight decrease in 2016. Typhoid fever had the highest frequency (48.9%) followed by diarrhoea (40%) and then dysentery (11.1%). The highest (88.9%) incidence of waterborne diseases per 10,000 peoples was from Enugu North followed by Enugu South (62.6%) and least was Enugu East (44.4%). Highest occurrence of typhoid fever and dysentery per 10,000 peoples was also found in Enugu North while Enugu East had the highest occurrence of diarrhoea in the four-year trends. WBDs were highest between January and March and least in July. The months with peak occurrence of WBDs falls within the dry season. The importance of having drinking water in both quality and quantity cannot be overestimated as portrayed in this study. Drinking water quality in Enugu urban is very poor especially during the dry season. This suggests a need for setting up a modality to tackle challenges of limited water supply during the dry seasons of the year and to educate the populace on household water treatment and storage method.

Antibiotic-Resistant Escherichia coli in Drinking Water Samples from Rural Andean Households in Cajamarca, Peru.

Antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria is a serious public health issue. The growing threat is a cause for concern and action to prevent the emergence of new resistant strains and the spread of existing ones to humans via the environment. This study aimed at identifying fecal pathogens in drinking water obtained from rural Andean households from Cajamarca, Peru, and measuring the antibiotic resistance profile of Escherichia coli. The study was embedded within a community-randomized controlled trial among 102 communities in the northern highlands of the Cajamarca region, Peru. Of 314 samples, 55.4% (95% CI [49.7, 61.0], n = 174) were identified as thermotolerant coliforms. Among the samples positive for thermotolerant coliform, E. coli was isolated in 37.3% (n = 117), Klebsiella spp. in 8.0% (n = 25), Enterobacter spp. in 5.1% (n = 16), and Citrobacter spp. in 2.5% (n = 8). Of the 117 E. coli samples, 48.7% (95% CI [39.4, 58.1], n = 57) showed resistance to any antibiotic. The E. coli antibiotic resistance profile showed highest resistance against tetracycline (37.6%), ampicillin (34.2%), sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (21.4%), and nalidixic acid (13%). Some 19.7% (95% CI [12.9, 28.0], n = 23) of the E. coli isolates displayed multidrug resistance, defined as resistance to at least three classes of antibiotics. The CTX-M-3 gene, which encodes extended-spectrum resistance to beta-lactamase antibiotics, was found in one isolate. The high prevalence of fecal contamination in drinking water highlights the importance of household water treatment methods. Likewise, the high levels of antibiotic resistance found indicate a need for further research to identify the origins of potential environmental contamination, misuse, or inadequate disposal of antibiotics.

Users’ Perceptions on Drinking Water Quality and Household Water Treatment and Storage in Small Towns in Northwestern Tanzania

Despite recent progress in increasing the world’s population with sustainable access to safe drinking water, hundreds of millions still rely on unimproved sources. To improve the quality of drinking water, various household water treatment and safe storage methods have been developed, adopted and promoted as alternative interventions. However, there is paucity of information regarding drinking water quality and prevalence of HWTS practices especially from the users’ perspectives in Tanzania. This paper examines users’ perceptions on drinking water quality and household water treatment and storage practices in the selected towns of Misungwi, Magu and Lamadi in Northwestern Tanzania. The specific objectives of the study were 1) to examine users’ perceptions on drinking water quality, and 2) to identify household water treatment and storage methods used in the study towns. The paper is based on empirical primary and secondary data collected from 417 households, through survey, key informant interviews, observation and documentary review, and analysed for descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and qualitative content analysis. The study found that water supply coverage in the study towns was generally low. Households drew water from various sources, including ones which were not suitable for drinking. This necessitated households to improve the quality of their drinking water through HWTS practices. Although a combination of adequate and inadequate treatment methods was used to improve water quality and aesthetics, prevalence of HWT practices was generally low. Similarly, safe storage was rarely practiced. Therefore, interventions aimed at improving access to domestic water supply should also incorporate elements of water treatment and safe storage at the point of use to contribute to improved health outcomes.