scholarly journals The Impacts of Household Water Quality Testing and Information on Safe Water Behaviors: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment in Ghana

Author(s):  
Charles Yaw Okyere ◽  
Evita Hanie Pangaribowo ◽  
Felix Ankomah Asante ◽  
Joachim von Braun
Water Policy ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 1206-1224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Yaw Okyere ◽  
Felix Ankomah Asante

Abstract In this paper, we analyze perceptions and determinants of households' participation in a randomized experiment on water quality testing and information in southern Ghana. Beneficiary households assessed the components of the intervention including its relevance and adequacy in improving understanding of water quality issues. Motivating and constraining factors to participation in the randomized experiment are also assessed. We also estimate the correlates of participation in the intervention. Social and economic benefits derived from the intervention based on perceptions are compared with impacts of the intervention using an instrumental variable approach. We found evidence that subjective analysis estimates of the effects of the intervention are higher than the objective analysis estimates. Households generally perceived the intervention to be relevant in improving their understanding of water quality issues. However, there are differing opinions based on random assignment into either child or adult treatment groups on most- and least-liked attributes of the intervention, and also motivating and constraining factors affecting participation in the intervention. The factors that statistically and significantly influenced participation in the intervention include educational attainment, ethnicity, religious denomination and marital status of the household heads, in addition to the location of residence.


Water is very crucial for healthy living. A large portion of the irresistible maladies are because of tainted water which prompts a huge number of contaminants consistently. Water quality testing is imperative since it recognizes contaminants and counteracts water-borne ailments. There is necessity to build up Water quality checking framework to confirm whether the measured water quality is reasonable for expected use. Basically, water quality observing ensures that water is safe and meets nearby and global water norms. Different water sampling techniques and technology to determine the level and amount of chemicals present in water can be used for water quality testing. Water utilized for human and animal use must be tested for safety. Along with household water, recreational and agricultural water also needs to be tested. In this paper, an IoT based water grade inspection system is proposed, in which water quality in terms of Turbidity and Temperature is measured with the help of sensors. NodeMCU ESP8266 board is used here. It has a built in onboard Wi-Fi module that facilitates to send alert message when the turbidity and temperature of water exceeds threshold values. The alert notifications are obtained in ESP Notify app.


2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 370-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Yaw Okyere ◽  
Evita Hanie Pangaribowo ◽  
Nicolas Gerber

Background: In 2014, a group of 512 households in multipurpose water systems and also relying on unimproved water, sanitation, and hygiene practices in the Greater Accra region of Ghana were randomly selected to participate in water quality self-testing and also receipt of information in the form of handouts on how to improve water quality. Objectives and Research Design: Using a cluster-randomized controlled design, we study the health, sanitation, and hygiene behavior impacts of the household water quality testing and information experiment. Subjects: The study has three arms: (1) adult household members, (2) schoolgoing children, and (3) control group. Measures: The study measures the effects on handwashing with soap, cleanliness of households, and prevalence of diarrhea and self-reported fever. We also address impacts on child health and nutrition outcomes, particularly diarrhea and anthropometric outcomes. Results: We show that there is high household willingness to participate in this intervention on water quality self-testing. About 7 months after households took part in the intervention, the study finds little impacts on health outcomes and on sanitation- and hygiene-related risk-mitigating behaviors, regardless of the intervention group, either schoolchildren or adult household members. Impacts (direction and extent) are rather homogeneous for most of the outcomes across treatment groups. Conclusions: The study discusses the implications of the findings and also offers several explanations for the lack of transmission of impacts from the household water quality testing and information intervention on health outcomes and on sanitation and hygiene behaviors.


Waterlines ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Sutton ◽  
Dominic Mubiana

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 469-475
Author(s):  
T. Turtiainen

Radon is one of the contaminants that sometimes impair the water quality of wells, especially those drilled in bedrock. Domestic radon removal units based on aeration have been commercially available for more than ten years. In order to determine how effectively these units remove radon a new test protocol applying frequent sampling while letting 100 litres of water flow, was developed. This way, removal efficiencies can be more accurately calculated and possible malfunctions detected. Seven models of domestic aerators designed for removing radon from household water were tested. The aerators were based on diffused bubble aeration, spray aeration or jet aeration. The average removal efficiencies for 100 litres with a medium flow rate were 86–100% except for a unit that circulated the aerated water back to the well that had removal efficiency of 80% at the maximum. By conducting a questionnaire study usual problems related to the aeration units were localized and recommendations on maintenance and installation are given accordingly.


1993 ◽  
Vol 27 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 287-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Lerman ◽  
O. Lev ◽  
A. Adin ◽  
E. Katzenelson

The Israel Ministry of Health is now revising its regulations for the assurance of safe water quality in public swimming pools. Since it is not possible to monitor each of the pathogenic microorganisms, it is often recommended to monitor indicator bacteria which provide indirect information on the water quality in the swimming pool. Three indicator microorganisms are often recommended: coliform counts (total coliforms, fecal coliforms or E. Coli), staphylococcus aureus and pseudomonas aeruginosa. A four year survey of the water quality of swimming pools in the Jerusalem District was conducted in order to determine whether the monitoring of all three indicators is necessary to assure safe water quality or is it sufficient to monitor only a single microorganism. A statistical analysis, conducted by using several different statistical techniques, reveals that the populations of the three indicator organisms are significantly interdependent but the correlations between each pair of these indicators are not sufficient to base a prediction of any of the organisms based on the measurements of the others. Therefore, it is concluded that monitoring of all three indicators should be recommended in order to provide an adequate picture of the water quality in swimming pools.


2007 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anyana Banerjee ◽  
Deborah A. McFarland ◽  
Ritu Singh ◽  
Robert Quick

Providing safe water to >1 billion people in need is a major challenge. To address this need, the Safe Water System (SWS) - household water treatment with dilute bleach, safe water storage, and behavior change - has been implemented in >20 countries. To assess the potential sustainability of the SWS, we analyzed costs in Zambia of “Clorin” brand product sold in bottles sufficient for a month of water treatment at a price of $0.09. We analyzed production, marketing, distribution, and overhead costs of Clorin before and after sales reached nationwide scale, and analyzed Clorin sales revenue. The average cost per bottle of Clorin production, marketing and distribution at start-up in 1999 was $1.88 but decreased by 82% to $0.33 in 2003, when >1.7 million bottles were sold. The financial loss per bottle decreased from $1.72 in 1999 to $0.24 in 2003. Net program costs in 2003 were $428,984, or only $0.04 per person-month of protection. A sensitivity analysis showed that if the bottle price increased to $0.18, the project would be self-sustaining at maximum capacity. This analysis demonstrated that efficiencies in the SWS supply chain can be achieved through social marketing. Even with a subsidy, overall program costs per beneficiary are low.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Sepridawati Siregar ◽  
Desi Kiswiranti

AbstrakSungai Klampok mengalir melalui Kecamatan Bergas dan sekelilingnya terdapat beberapa industri sehingga mengakibatkan sungai tersebut tercemar karena menjadi badan penerima air limbah. Akibat penurunan kualitas air Sungai Klampok akan berimbas pada penurunan kualitas air tanah yang digunakan oleh penduduk sekitar sungai tersebut. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui kualitas air tanah yang berada di sekitar Sungai Klampok sebagai akibat adanya pengaruh beban pencemaran oleh air limbah industri berdasarkan Permenkes No. 416/MENKES/PER/IX/1990 tentang persyaratan kualitas air bersih. Lokasi pengambilan sampel air sungai dibagi menjadi 3 stasiun (LK1, LK2 dan LK3) sedangkan untuk sampel airtanah dari rumah-rumah penduduk dilakukan pada 6 titik yaitu 3 titik di daerah utara dari Sungai Klampok (U1,U2, U3) dan 3 titik di daerah selatan dari Sungai Klampok (S1,S2, S3). Pengambilan sampel dilakukan pada musim kemarau. Dari hasil uji kualitas air sungai, pencemaran yang terjadi pada air sungai Klampok masuk dalam kategori tercemar ringan-sedang. Sedangkan hasil uji kualitas air tanah masih berada di bawah baku mutu yang disyaratkan oleh Permenkes No. 416/MENKES/PER/IX/1990, sehingga penurunan kualitas air sungai Klampok tidak mempengaruhi kualitas air tanah di sekitar sungai tersebut. AbstractThe Klampok River flows through the Bergas Subdistrict and there are a number of industries around it, causing the river to become polluted because it becomes the body of the recipient of wastewater. As a result of the decline in the quality of the water in the Klampok River, it will impact on the quality of groundwater used by residents around the river. This study aims to determine the quality of groundwater around the Klampok River as a result of the influence of pollution load by industrial wastewater based on Permenkes No. 416 / MENKES / PER / IX / 1990 concerning requirements for clean water quality. The location of river water sampling is divided into 3 stations (LK1, LK2, and LK3) while for groundwater samples from residential houses is carried out at 6 points, namely 3 points in the northern area of Klampok River (U1, U2, U3) and 3 points in the area south of the Klampok River (S1, S2, S3). Sampling is done in the dry season. From the results of the test of river water quality, pollution that occurs in Klampok river water is categorized as mild-moderate polluted. While the results of groundwater quality testing are still below the quality standards required by Permenkes No. 416 / MENKES / PER / IX / 1990 so that the decline in the water quality of the Klampok river does not affect the quality of groundwater around the river.


1995 ◽  
Vol 31 (11) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. McGuire

If consumers detect an off-flavor in their drinking water, they are likely to believe that it probably is not safe. Water utilities will be defeating their best efforts to provide safe drinking water if they only meet health-related regulations and do not provide water that is free of off-flavor problems. The purpose of this paper is to explore the current U.S. regulatory environment and discuss how these regulations can adversely impact the control of off-flavors in drinking water. Utilities should adopt a water quality goal that allows them to not only meet the minimums of the regulations, but also meet the customer's highest standards - water that is free of off-flavors.


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