Water Sanitation Research Articles

The governance of the water-energy nexus: Co-produced narratives to take stock and address energy dependencies of the urban water cycle in Atlantic Europe

Water and energy (WE) are key resources to support human well-being and are highly interconnected. Intensifying demands of both resources and increasing resource scarcity are exacerbating their interconnectedness and calling for the adoption of an integrated approach called “WE nexus”. This paper explores the barriers and opportunities to govern the WE nexus in the Urban Water Cycle (UWC), particularly, the energy dependencies of the water supply and sanitation services in Atlantic Europe, through the assessment of four contrasting and representative regions: Canary Islands (ES), Western Andalusia (ES), Alentejo (PT) and Brittany (FR). We applied a “Quantitative Story Telling (QST)” method to assess the discourses from 49 stakeholders from across the four regions on WE nexus challenges and opportunities in the UWC, and the evidence that exists on them. The result is a pluralistic narrative incorporating the views of different stakeholders on what are the issues at stake and why, what needs to be done and how, and sustained by available data. The resulting narrative explores the formal aspects underpinning WE nexus governance in the UWC, but also informal rules linked to political economy. Our results revealed that WE nexus challenges are context-specific, however, there are important commonalities across regions and phases of the UWC value chain, suggesting that these are relevant at the Atlantic Europe scale. QST is not instrumental in directly inducing policy change or decision-making, but might be a valuable means for knowledge mobilization to question and enrich the quality of dominant discourses, and thus paving the road for action towards sustainability.

Individual and community level factors of safe child feces disposal among youngest children in East Africa: a multilevel modeling analysis using recent national demography and health survey data

BackgroundThe Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) for water supply and sanitation developed by the WHO and UNICEF defines safe child feces disposal practices as either burial or defecation into a toilet. Children become exposed to fecal-oral illnesses when their stools are not disposed of appropriately, and this vulnerability persists until all children’s stools are properly disposed of. Data on the elements influencing child feces disposal in East Africa is scarce. Hence, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of safe child feces disposal in East Africa.MethodsData from the Demographic and Health Surveys, which were collected between 2015 and 2022 in 10 East African nations, were used in this analysis. For a weighted 44,821 children under the age of two, we examined additional features as well as how child feces were disposed of. Both bivariable and multivariable multilevel logistic regression were carried out to choose potential components and identify important explanatory variables connected to the outcome variable. With 95% confidence intervals, adjusted odd ratios (AORs) were used to present the results. P values of ≤ 0.2 and < 0.05 were used to investigate significant factors in the binary and multivariable multilevel logistic regression models respectively.ResultsApproximately 65.54% (95% CI: 65.10, 65.98) of children’s waste was disposed of properly. Women age from 35 to 49 years (AOR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.05–1.19) 15–24 years old, primary (AOR = 1.62, 95% CI, 1.53,1.72), and secondary/higher education (AOR = 1.22, 95% CI, 1.14,1.31), women from highly educated community (AOR = 1.33, 95% CI, 1.22,1.46), employed (AOR = 1.29, 95% CI, 1.24,1.35), poorer(AOR = 1.51,95% CI, 1.42,1.61), middle(AOR = 1.67, 95% CI, 1.56,1.78), richer(AOR = 1.96,95% CI, 1.82,2.11), and richest(AOR = 2.08, 95% CI, 1.91,2.27), mass media exposure (AOR = 1.37,95% CI,1.31,1.44), community level mass media exposure (AOR = 1.23, 95% CI, 1.34,1.34), had ANC visit(AOR = 1.71, 95% CI, 1.55,1.88), modern contraceptive(AOR = 1.17, 95% CI, 1.12,1.23), health institution delivery (AOR = 2.22, 95% CI, 2.09,2.34), had an improved toilet facility (AOR = 1.12, 95% CI, 1.07,1.17), children who’s their age group from 6 to 11 months old, (AOR = 2.12, 95% CI, 2.01,2.25) and 12–23 months old (AOR = 3.10,95% CI, 2.94,3.27) were the factors associated with higher odds of safe child feces disposal as compared to less than six months old children respectively. Finally, women from high community poverty level (AOR = 0.87, 95% CI, 0.79,0.95), and rural women were the factors associated with lower odds of safe child feces disposal (AOR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.85–0.98) compared to their counterparts respectively.ConclusionsEast Africa has a Slightly lower proportion of properly disposing of child feces. There was a strong correlation between characteristics such as residence, mother’s age, education level, work status, place of delivery, ANC visit, child’s age, wealth index, media exposure, and poverty. Acting on these factors and strengthening and using links between mother and child health care is, thus, strongly advocated.

Effectiveness of climate resilient water safety plans in Nepal

ABSTRACT Water supply schemes (WSSs) in Nepal are managed by water user committees with basic knowledge of climate change. The Government of Nepal has committed and prioritized improving the quality of water services by implementing climate-resilient water safety plans (CR-WSPs) in 10 WSSs. In this study, how tough water sanitation and hygiene (HTIW) framework was adopted to assess the effectiveness of these CR-WSPs, which include four groundwater and six protected springs-based WSSs. Employing the HTIW framework, this study adopted the six key indicators environment, infrastructure, management, community governance and engagement, institutional support, and supply chains to evaluate CR-WSPs effectiveness. The indicators were then assessed using a Likert scale. Resilient schemes are needed to demonstrate a capacity to respond effectively to challenges such as unforeseen extreme events and potential hazards, together with an aptitude for financial management, laboratory maintenance, and social inclusion. Less resilient schemes tend to be those linked to social inclusion or financial issues. Institutional support and supply chain domain scored four and were relatively strong among them. The findings of this study suggest that CR-WSPs can be an important metric tool to assess climate resilience and guide policymakers in low- and middle-income countries.

A Systematic Review on Drivers of Water-Use Behaviour among Agricultural Water Users

Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) is closely linked to the sustainable management of water resources and sanitation worldwide. SDG 6.4, in particular, aims to significantly improve water-use efficiency across all sectors by 2030. It is important to acknowledge the significant role that behavioural aspects of water users in an agricultural context play in contributing to water-use efficiency. This systematic review aims to provide an up-to-date synthesis of the current knowledge of water-use behaviours in agriculture to stay on track in achieving SDG 6. This systematic literature review investigates the factors influencing water-use behaviour among agricultural water users globally. Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) method, we retrieved a total of 867 records, of which 47 matched the eligibility criteria. The 47 relevant studies were primarily conducted in the United States and China with key themes including sustainable agricultural practices, technology adoption for productivity, climate change adaptation, and modelling and uncertainty in water conservation. Additionally, the review identified six distinct water-use behaviours investigated from 2020 to 2024, which were each driven by its unique set of factors. Overall, the findings from the systematic review indicate that there has been a geographical gap in research efforts over the past five years, and it is important for water-use behaviour-related research to be extended to other countries that are water-stressed. Furthermore, the researchers recommend that future studies should develop comprehensive behavioural models and adopt holistic approaches to better understand and promote sustainable water-use behaviours in agriculture. These efforts are vital for achieving sustainable water management and broader SDGs.

Analisis Faktor yang Berhubungan dengan Rendahnya Capaian Pengelolaan Air Bersih dan Higiene Sanitasi di Puskesmas Selaparang Kota Mataram

The existence of infrastructure at the Public Health Center must be supported by governance including planning management, implementation, operational procedures, human resources, budgeting and infrastructure that have been determined so that the management of service units for the Public at the Public Health Center is in accordance with the standards set by the Ministry of Health. influencing the water and sanitation hygiene facility improvement tool (WASH FIT) assessment in public Health Centers throughout the city of Mataram in 2022 with the lowest results in the Selaparang public Health Center ( 63.05%). So it is necessary to analyze factors related to the low achievement of clean water management and sanitation hygiene at the Selaparang Public Health Center, Mataram City. This research is a qualitative descriptive method, namely providing a direct and comprehensive description at Public Health Center in Mataram City. Based on the research results, it shows that the condition of clean water management and sanitation hygiene from planning management, implementation, standard operating procedures, human resource guidelines, budget and infrastructure still has many deficiencies. Selaparang Public Health Center has not implemented planning management for clean water and sanitation hygiene in a truly open manner based on needs and has not involved sanitation and clean water officers, which has an impact on the implementation of WASH which is still lacking in operations, complete SOPs are not available, which impacts on poor compliance , sanitation and clean water program holders who are not involved in planning also result in inadequate budgets for the provision of adequate infrastructure, insufficient sanitation and clean water personnel do not meet needs due to transfers and permanent illness so that the workload becomes more and heavier. From these results, the implementation of sanitation and clean water at the Selaparang Public Health Center does not meet the standards in accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Number 2 of 2023 concerning Implementing Regulations of Government Regulation Number 66 of 2014 concerning environmental health and Regulation of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Number 43 of 2019 concerning Public Health Centers, with the results of this research, the Regional Head needs to make a policy, the head of the Mataram City Health Service and the Head of the Public Health Center need to review planning, SOPs, meeting needs and increasing the capacity of officers, increasing the budget through more objective planning through guidance to environmental health program managers and officers sanitation.

Who Gets Water? Governance Failures &amp; Persistent Drinking Water and Sanitation Issues

he sustainable provision of potable water and sanitation services presents a multitude of fundamental challenges concerning access and allocation. These challenges extend beyond water resources themselves, encompassing the allocation of rights, responsibilities, and associated risks. Disparities in water supply and sanitation services are stark, both geographically and socioeconomically. A thorough analysis requires examining the international governance instruments that guide access, the property rights frameworks that dictate allocation, and the scales at which these rights and frameworks operate. Additionally, the responsibilities vested in various authorities and stakeholders must be scrutinized. Water insecurity, particularly with respect to drinking water and sanitation, is not solely attributable to natural phenomena. This paper presents a literature review (2008-2023) encompassing research from the Earth Systems Governance community and beyond, focusing on water supply services and sanitation. Access and allocation were interpreted broadly, encompassing issues of inclusive development, justice, sustainability, and additional themes identified through the review process. The findings suggest a significant role for governments in facilitating access and allocation, with failures in these areas leading to long-term consequences. This will necessitate a holistic approach that considers water access and allocation alongside interconnected issues like sanitation, development, climate change, energy, and food security, all within a multi-level governance framework.

Multidimensional poverty among farming households in Katsina state, northwestern Nigeria

This study aimed to determine the multidimensional poverty status of farming households in Katsina state, northwestern Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to elicit primary data from 480 farming households. Descriptive statistics and the multidimensional poverty assessment tool (MPAT-14) were used to analyze the data. The socio-demographic analysis showed that the mean age of respondents was 43 years while the average household size was 9 persons. The majority (86%) of respondents were male, and they were mostly married (85%) and educated (51.3%). The MPAT results showed that farmers in the study area experienced a high level of deprivation according to the majority of the fundamental human needs indicators, such as food and nutrition security (27.7%), domestic water supply (28.9%), health care (22.9), sanitation and hygiene (28.1%), housing, clothing, and energy (33.9%), and education (27.7%). The results indicate that the majority (60.6%) of the households are living in multidimensional poverty and that there is a higher level of multidimensional poverty among farming households. The government should upscale appropriate healthcare delivery systems to improve the healthcare services rendered.

The Role of Social Capital and Technology Adaptation: A Performance Study of Water Supply and Sanitation Managers

This research aims to describe the role of social capital, technology adaptation, and the performance of group administrators at Kpspams in East Java Province. The location of this research was 170 Kpspams throughout the East Java region with reasonable functioning classifications. Kpspams in the East Java region was chosen as the research location because East Java is the province with the highest Kpspams functional status nationally. The time required to collect data is approximately 2 (two) months. The population in this study were Kpspams administrators throughout the East Java region who had an excellent functioning classification totaling 1016. The sampling technique used a probability sampling technique, a proportional random sampling method based on the same proportion for each group, so the sample determined in this study was 170 Kpspams members—East Java region. The research results show that the social capital variable was not able to significantly increase the value of each indicator of the management performance variable but technology adaptation has a significant positive effect on management performance as a consideration in improving management performance and sustainability of Kpspams in East Java Province. The contribution of this research is expected to be an input to overcome a problem that is being faced, especially in the aspect of program success at Kpspams in East Java Province and its development. The advice that can be given in this research is the development of several previous studies with distinctive characteristics not found in previous research, namely giving rise to a new dimension in the form of technological adaptation as a variable in the Kpspams research object.

Prevalence and correlates of diarrhoea among children under five in selected coastal communities in Ghana

IntroductionDiarrhoea is a preventable disease affecting children under five years disproportionately. Globally, thousands of children die from diarrhoea related diseases each year, most deaths occuring in sub-Saharan Africa where Ghana is located. Coastal communities bear the greatest brunt due to poor sanitary conditions. We assess the prevalence of diarrhoea in selected coastal communities along the eastern coast of Ghana.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study in Mumford, Opetekwei, Anyako, Anyauni and Ateteti communities in the Central, Greater Accra and Volta region respectively. We interviewed households with children under five years on the occurrence of diarrhoea and health seeking practices. We also used a checklist to assess the sanitary conditions of the household. Frequencies and proportions were generated. We determined significant differences using modified Poisson regression models at p < 0.05. Results were presented in tables and text.ResultsThe prevalence ratio of diarrhoea was 36% (95% CI 33–40%). Most cases were from Anyako community. All interviewed households in Mumford and Opetekwei used improved water sources whiles 94% in Atetetio used improved water sources. Children who were fully vaccinated had 32% lower prevalence of diarrhoea compared to those who were not (aPR: 0.68, 95% CI 0.55–0.84).ConclusionDiarrhoea prevalence was high inspite of the reported use of improved water sources and sanitation facilities by majority of households in the communities. Fully vaccinated children had a relatively lower prevalence of diarrhoea compared to children who were not fully vaccinated. We recommend in-depth analysis of the use of water and sanitation facilities in these settings to understand the reasons for the observed diarrhoea prevalence.

DeepNNet 15 for the prediction of biological waste to energy conversion and nutrient level detection in treated sewage water

Efforts toward sustainable environmental development encompass global initiatives to enhance water quality, sanitation, and wastewater management. This study addresses the energy-intensive nature of sewage water treatment, which is critical for curbing water pollution. We propose a 15-layer Deep Neural Network (DeepNNet-15) to analyse energy conversion and nutrient levels. Constructed with dense layers of up to 10 neurons each, featuring ReLU activation, DeepNNet-15 utilises a benchmark sewage water dataset for training. With 11 input and five output neurons, including energy and nutrient parameters, DeepNNet-15 predicts parameters with less than 3 % error. Its deep learning performance demonstrates over 90 % accuracy, precision, and above 97 % specificity. The practical significance of this research lies in the demonstrated efficacy of DeepNNet-15 in forecasting energy conversion efficiency and nutrient levels in treated sewage water. By harnessing advanced neural network architecture and machine learning techniques, this study offers a tangible contribution to sustainable environmental practices. It equips stakeholders with a robust tool to enhance sewage water treatment efficiency and effectiveness. It aligns with global sustainable development goals and promotes pollution mitigation, resource optimisation, and a cleaner, healthier environment.

Atomically dispersed low-valent Au boosts photocatalytic hydroxyl radical production.

Providing affordable, safe drinking water and universal sanitation poses a grand societal challenge. Here we developed atomically dispersed Au on potassium-incorporated polymeric carbon nitride material that could simultaneously boost photocatalytic generation of ·OH and H2O2 with an apparent quantum efficiency over 85% at 420 nm. Potassium introduction into the poly(heptazine imide) matrix formed strong K-N bonds and rendered Au with an oxidation number close to 0. Extensive experimental characterization and computational simulations revealed that the low-valent Au altered the materials' band structure to trap highly localized holes produced under photoexcitation. These highly localized holes could boost the 1e- water oxidation reaction to form highly oxidative ·OH and simultaneously dissociate the hydrogen atom in H2O, which greatly promoted the reduction of oxygen to H2O2. The photogenerated ·OH led to an efficiency enhancement for visible-light-response superhydrophilicity. Furthermore, photo-illumination in an onsite fixed-bed reactor could disinfect water at a rate of 66 L H2O m-2 per day.

Congenital syphilis, syphilis in pregnancy and prenatal care in Brazil: An ecological study.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the incidence of congenital syphilis and the ratio between congenital syphilis and syphilis in pregnant women in Brazil according to socioeconomic indicators (inadequate water supply and sanitation; illiteracy at 15 years of age or older; household income per capita; proportion of poor people; Gini index; human development index; and average health expenditure per inhabitant by the health system) and prenatal quality-of-care indicators. We conducted an ecological study using a sample composed of 257 municipalities, each with ≥ 100,000 inhabitants. Data was collected from four public databases: the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, comprising socioeconomical data from the 2010 census; and the data of 2019 available in the databases of the Department of Informatics of the Brazilian Health System, Information and Management of Primary Care, and the Electronic Citizen Information System. Descriptive analysis of dependent and independent variables and bivariate analysis by Negative Binomial regression were carried out. The mean incidence of congenital syphilis was 38% higher in municipalities with a Human Development Index up to 0.785 (ratio of means [RM] = 1.38; p = 0.049) and 57% higher among populations where less than 50% of primary healthcare services provided a rapid test for syphilis (RM = 1.57; p < 0.001). The ratio between congenital syphilis and syphilis in pregnant women was 29% higher in municipalities with a low household income per capita (RM = 1.29; p < 0.001) and 28% higher in locations where less than 50% of the primary healthcare services provided a rapid test for syphilis (RM = 1.28; p < 0.001). There was no statistical significance of the quality of prenatal care compared to the outcomes. This result underscores the challenges in detecting syphilis infections among pregnant women during prenatal care, consequently increasing the risk of vertical transmission of the disease to the fetus. Traits of inequality in the occurrence of congenital syphilis also draw attention to strategies to reduce health inequities and improve prenatal care.

MICA Legionella, an innovative and rapid method for enumeration of Legionella pneumophila in French sanitary water

A new innovative method, MICA Legionella, allows for the automatic enumeration of Legionella pneumophila in domestic water samples in 2 days, with a detection limit of 2 CFU per test portion. Here we show that it gives equivalent results to those obtained by the French standard method NF T90–431 in 7 to 15 days.

Design of a Solar Distillation Still Model with Backup Heat from Biomass

Water borne pathogens caused series of diseases, and millions died each year. Therefore, availability of safe drinking water and good water sanitation is of great global importance, while this can be done through solar still distillation. The distillation process is one of the technologies for water processing and purification, and solar energy is the main source of energy that used to energize the process. Therefore, in this paper, a solar distillation still with back-up heat from Biomass has been designed with basin area of 1.045 m2 (1290 mm x 810 mm). However, various design equation were utilized during the design process. The energy requirement for evaporating water is 226 0kJ/kg. This implies that much heat energy is required to produce 1 litre of pure. For this reason, a collector of 1.044m2 area was used. This will provide sufficient energy for distillation process. The solution obtained from the Polymath 5.0 software, shows that, the day is not as intrinsic as the solution for the night. This might be due to supply of heat as concentrated heat unlike for the day when the heating increased relatively gently. It is hereby recommended that more of the machine should be develop and made available in the market to enhance a safer and more sanitize drinking water for the society.

Characterization and Performance of Peanut Shells in Caffeine and Triclosan Removal in Batch and Fixed-Bed Column Tests.

Peanut shells' adsorption performance in caffeine and triclosan removal was studied. Peanut shells were analyzed for their chemical composition, morphology, and surface functional groups. Batch adsorption and fixed-bed column experiments were carried out with solutions containing 30 mg/L of caffeine and triclosan. The parameters examined included peanut shell particle size (120-150, 300-600, and 800-2000 µm), adsorbent dose (0.02-60 g/L), contact time (up to 180 min), bed height (4-8 cm), and hydraulic loading rate (2.0 and 4.0 m3/m2-day). After determining the optimal adsorption conditions, kinetics, isotherm, and breakthrough curve models were applied to analyze the experimental data. Peanut shells showed an irregular surface and consisted mainly of polysaccharides (around 70% lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose), with a specific surface area of 1.7 m2/g and a pore volume of 0.005 cm3/g. The highest removal efficiencies for caffeine (85.6 ± 1.4%) and triclosan (89.3 ± 1.5%) were achieved using the smallest particles and 10.0 and 0.1 g/L doses over 180 and 45 min, respectively. Triclosan showed easier removal compared to caffeine due to its higher lipophilic character. The pseudo-second-order kinetics model provided the best fit with the experimental data, suggesting a chemisorption process between caffeine/triclosan and the adsorbent. Equilibrium data were well-described by the Sips model, with maximum adsorption capacities of 3.3 mg/g and 289.3 mg/g for caffeine and triclosan, respectively. In fixed-bed column adsorption tests, particle size significantly influenced efficiency and hydraulic behavior, with 120-150 µm particles exhibiting the highest adsorption capacity for caffeine (0.72 mg/g) and triclosan (143.44 mg/g), albeit with clogging issues. The experimental data also showed good agreement with the Bohart-Adams, Thomas, and Yoon-Nelson models. Therefore, the findings of this study highlight not only the effective capability of peanut shells to remove caffeine and triclosan but also their versatility as a promising option for water treatment and sanitation applications in different contexts.

Feasibility of sustainability separation of drinking water network by groundwater desalination Bajestan urban catchment, Iran

Fresh water supply in arid land is facing many challenges that require proper management of water resources, especially in drinking water. Management of water projects depends on the conditions of each country or region. Bajestan is located in Razavi Khorasan province, Iran. The certain resource of drinking water supply is desalinated of high salinity groundwater from Playa. Government has implemented the project “Separation of Drinking and sanitary water networks by groundwater desalination” since of 2014, by creating “Government Drinking Water Withdrawal Smart Stations (GDWWSS)" in this city. This study evaluates the feasibility of different methods of separation drinking water from sanitary water by considering sustainability dimensions these methods. These methods including of Home Water Desalination Machines, Mobile Packaged Water, GDWWSS (with new design), Private Drinking Water Withdrawal Stations (PDWWS) and Dual Drinking Water Distribution Network (DDWDN). Findings showed, that if just the economic dimension is considered in the drinking water separation project, PDWWS would be the best method but since the social dimension is an integral part of a sustainable project, the most compatible method is DDWDN. The environmental evaluation showed that production of salt water and salt (NaCl) is the most common adverse effect of all the proposed methods, but the DDWDN will produce more salt wastewater. On the other hand, Mobile packaged water method will produce 17,000 tons of PET annually, which will cause biological problems if it is not recycled. Therefore, the best way is to use the water resources of the plain and not use the desalination of salt groundwater resources. Also, to increase people's satisfaction and reduce water consumption with good quality water, DDWDN is suggested.

WATER RESOURCES OF THE KHOROSTKIV TERRITORIAL COMMUNITY: ECOLOGICAL STATUS, WATER USE PROBLEMS, OPTIMISATION MEASURES

The article analyses the ecological state of surface water resources of the Khorostkiv territorial community (ТС). According to the results of laboratory tests, pathogenic microorganisms, bacteriological indicators exceeding the regulatory requirements, faecal contamination and high content of organic matter were detected in the surface water bodies of the Khorostkiv TC. In addition to the pollution of surface water bodies in the Khorostkiv TC, an important environmental problem worth paying attention to is the lack of sanitary protection and water protection zones for rivers and ponds, as well as the littering of the coastal strip. It was found that the water supply network of the Khorostkiv territorial community includes only the water supply network of the town of Khorostkiv (30 km, unsatisfactory condition), since there are no centralised water supply systems in rural settlements. In the sources of centralised water supply in Khorostkiv, the levels of ammonium nitrogen and colour are exceeded. Hydrochemical analysis of water samples from private wells in Khorostkiv and the villages of Peremyliv and Khlopivka confirmed compliance with the requirements of SanR&amp;R № 400. The volume of daily water consumption and water disposal was analysed. The main sources of pollution of the community's water resources and the volume of wastewater discharges were identified. Priority areas for improving the ecological state of water resources of the Khorostkiv community are substantiated. Keywords: surface water, groundwater, pollutants, water supply, water disposal, territorial community (ТС).

Water Sanitation Quality Assessment for Hand-Dug Wells

Purpose: Public toilet sanitation facilities need to be analyzed for water sanitation quality. This research aims to explain the benefits of hand-well water for sanitation in densely populated communal environments. Theoretical framework: This article presents literature support regarding sanitation, water quality, and pollutant index in Indonesia, regarding water sanitation conditions in dense urban organizations. Method: Comprehensive data on the quality of water sanitation used by people in dense settlements. Data was collected in the form of water as a laboratory test from 24 random dug wells in four sub-districts in Bandung City and analyzed by the regulations of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. Results and Discussion: The research results show that an average of 75% of air wells are contaminated based on water sanitation quality and pollutant index based on Minister of Health Regulation Number 32 of 2017 and Number 2 of 2023 concerning Indonesian Environmental Health and Water Health Quality Standards. Research Implications: Our findings are important for policymakers, health workers, public health practitioners, and so that the community provides public toilet facilities that can be monitored and receive government attention to improve their quality. Originality/Value: The novelty of this research lies in that it presents a comprehensive assessment of water quality indices and physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters of hand wells in dense urban organizations.

Water Stress: Between Farmers' Needs and Public Policies the Case of Smallholder Farmers in the Villages of Nabatieh Governorate

Water scarcity is a paramount developmental and livelihood issue globally, posing life-threatening challenges in the Arab world and the Eastern Mediterranean. This scarcity manifests in two forms: physical scarcity, due to insufficient water resulting from local environmental conditions, and economic scarcity, characterized by inadequate water infrastructure. When these forms of scarcity converge, they lead to severe water stress, exemplified by regions experiencing both low rainfall and inadequate water storage and sanitation facilities. In Lebanon, state policies, or the lack thereof, have significantly exacerbated water scarcity. Governmental negligence and mismanagement of water resources, compounded by insufficient investment in infrastructure, have intensified both physical and economic water scarcities. The lack of effective water conservation policies, poor maintenance of existing water facilities, and failure to develop new water projects have led to severe water stress, hindering developmental progress and threatening the livelihoods and health of the population. The combined effect of environmental challenges and governmental inaction has made water scarcity a critical issue, necessitating immediate and comprehensive interventions to ensure sustainable water management and availability for the future.

ინოვაციური კონსტრუქციის სამკონტურიანი გათბობა-გაგრილების ქვაბი

Boiler that is used only for heating the heat carrier is called single-circuit boiler. The heat carrier, which is heated in the boiler furnace with fuel combustion products, circulates in the heat exchangers of the heating system (radiators, heaters, etc.). Boiler, which, in addition to the heating function, has the function of heating domestic water, is called double-circuit boiler (according to the presence of heating and hot water supply schemes). In such devices, part of the heat carrier circulates in the heating system, and part heats the internal water to the required temperature. The article presents a three-circuit heating-cooling boiler of an innovative design, which can be used both for heating the building and for obtaining sanitary hot water, as well as for cooling the building in the air-conditioning mode during the warm period of the year, for which the device is equipped with a refrigeration unit. The construction is universal, compact and in one small volume there is a device that can perform all the above functions.