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New Methods Urged for Safe Water


A New Delhi woman treats her water at home.  ©Population Services International

Proponents of global access to safe drinking water met at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Washington, D.C., in early June to further the work of a new Network to Promote Safe Household Water Treatment and Storage.

The network offers an alternative approach to safe water supply based on point-of-use treatment and storage methods for households that are not served by municipal supplies or safe wells. The approach uses social marketing techniques to make new home water treatment products available to underserved communities.

An initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO), the network was launched at the Third World Water Forum in March in Japan. Its members include groups working in health, water and technology, from academia, private enterprise, international organizations and other sectors.

Recent research has shown that household methods can provide dramatic and measurable health benefits, particularly for children and the poor. The coalition's goal is to build awareness and create effective partnerships to implement the new approach at the country level.

Participants in the June meeting noted that some 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to basic potable water and sanitation services. This contributes to an estimated 3.4 million global deaths, primarily of children, from water-related diseases.

In Latin America, efforts to expand coverage of drinking water supply and sanitation have failed to keep pace with population needs. Some 130 million of the region's inhabitants lack such services, primarily those in rural areas, urban fringe settlements and indigenous communities.

"This new approach aims at empowering people to take charge of their own drinking water safety. It gives them access to affordable and appropriate solutions," said Gerardo Galvis, PAHO advisor in environmental health.

Among the methods the network is promoting is a Safe Water System developed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which includes:

  • Disinfection with a specially packaged chlorine solution.
  • A 20-liter plastic container for water storage, featuring a narrow mouth to prevent hands from contaminating the water.
  • Community education about the causes of diarrhea, ways that water can be contaminated and use of the Safe Water System.

The coalition hopes that the new approach will speed up the expansion of access to safe water and contribute to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, which include cutting the percentage of people who lack access to potable water by half and reducing child mortality by two-thirds by the year 2015.

Participants in the June meeting included representatives of WHO, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the CDC, the World Bank, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Population Services International, Procter & Gamble, the International Water Association and other organizations.