advocatecleanwater-blog

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Find out how much you know about water with this multiple choice quiz from the ABC.

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See the original source here.

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Success stories

Most people in Western society do not even have to think twice about the cleanliness of their water. For people living in developing countries, this is a major issue.

Over the years, awareness has been raised in order to begin projects that  provide clean water and sanitation systems. One example of an organisation that assists with projects is called ‘The Water Project’. This is a non-profit organisation who works with communities in sub-Saharan Africa who are disadvantaged from not having clean water and sanitation systems. Along with careful consultation from the communities, this group of people help to the catchment of water by digging wells, constructing sub-surface dams and a rain catchment. Projects also involve filtering water and education as well as maintenance of proper sanitation and hygiene practices.

There are a number of success stories that have come about because of these projects.

Kyeni Kya Thwake Self Help Group http://thewaterproject.org/community/interest_story/light-of-thwake

Water is an extremely important tool with agriculture and being able to farm vegetables. Click the link above to find out how the Kyeni Kya Thwake Self Help Group are now able to sell their vegetables at a profit as opposed to selling their livestock in order to buy vegetables.

Kennedy Koech at Lelmokwo Boys High School http://thewaterproject.org/community/projects/Kenya/a-new-well-in-kenya-4159

Kennedy Koech is a fourth year student at Lelmokwo Boys High School. Before the project, he used to depend on rain water which dried up during the dry season. Students would have to walk around 1.5km to get their own water for cleaning and personal use. The project will allow students to have more time to study and less risk of obtaining a water born disease such as typhoid and diarrhoea which are common to the area.

Christopher from Shianda Community http://thewaterproject.org/community/interest_story/a-new-dawn-for-christopher

Christopher is an farmer who is married with children. Recently, he had to bury two of his children due to cholera and typhoid which were a transmitted through unclean water. Despite losing his two children, he has kept going with life but desperately needed clean water for his livestock including eighty chickens and one cattle head. Thanks to the project, he now has access to clean water 50m away from his house and is now educated in the matters of hygiene and sanitation.

For more information check out the resources

The H2O Team

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After all, water doesn't change anything; the people we serve do.

http://thewaterproject.org/partnership

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The LifeStraw is interesting point of use treatment that was developed in Switzerland as a viable way to provide clean drinking water to under developed countries. It involves a straw which acts as a complex filter that can provide clean water from even the dirtiest water. Check out the video above to see it providing clean water from pond water.

Benefits:

Portable

Easy to use

No chemicals

High flow

Removes 99% of bacteria

Reduces turbidity

Downside:

Too expensive for the desired target population

Does not filter viruses

As always, check the resources for more information

The H2O Team

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Bio Sand Filters

Similar to the ceramic filters, it involves filtering the dirty and infected water to produce clean drinkable water. Instead of using a porous ceramic filter, it utilises a multi-layered filter comprised of sand and gravel to gradually purify the input water.

Picture source: cawst.org. Bio Sand Filter. [Online] Available from: http://www.cawst.org/en/resources/biosand-filter

Benefits

Long life

Low maintenance

Simple

Produces a significant quantity of water

Downsides

High initial cost and difficult transport

Can get re-contaminated

For more information check the resources The H2O Team

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Flocculant/Disinfectant Treatment

Picture source: cdc.gov. Turbid water in Kenya treated with PUR™. [Online] Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/safewater/flocculant-filtration.html

This treatment involves the use of sachets containing a flocculant (promotes clumping of material) and a disinfectant to provide clean water. It follows a multi-step procedure as follows:

Pour a sachet (PUR) into a bucket of water

Stir for 5 minutes and then let solids settle

Filter out through cloth into another container

Leave for another 20 minutes to let the disinfectant work

Clean Water

Benefits and downsides:

Benefits:

Very effective for reducing diarrheal and other waterborne illnesses

Sachets easily stored and used

Useful with turbid water

Downsides:

It is a multistep process

Needs usage education

Needs multiple utensils 

For more on the flocculant treatment process check out the resources

The H2O Team

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Ceramic Filters

It is a simple treatment that involves utilising porous ceramic filters that look like flower pots. This filters water through its small pores to be caught in a plastic or ceramic receiver.

Picture source: gmanetwork.com. Dost's Home-grown Ceramic Filters. [Online] Available from: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/photo/49983/dost-s-homegrown-ceramic-water-filter

  Benefits:

Can be locally produced

Simple

Long lasting

Low cost

Downsides:

Not as effective with virally infected water

Low output with turbid water

Filter needs regular cleaning

It is great treatment, but as always it is better when part of the holistic approach to ensure that it is appropriate and sustainable.

For more information check out the resources

The H2O Team

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Solar Disinfection

Also known as SODIS uses the idea of using solar radiation to purify water in plastic bottles. It is good way to treat water, but it is not without its own criteria:

The bottles must be clear and non-scratched

The water must be sufficiently clear (low turbidity)

Must get enough solar radiation (sunny and not in the shade)

SODIS's only downsides is that it cant work for large amounts of water nor turbid water. Despite this, it is a great way to treat household water because it doesn't influence the taste of the water; it is simple and is sustainable. This combination makes it an easier treatment to bring about behavioural change and help a community accept it. 

As always for more information check out the resources

The H2O Team

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Safe Water System

The SWS differs from the other treatments in that it is more of a systematic framework rather than just a treatment. In the end, it provides a sustainable and affordable way to supply clean water.

It is composed of 3 main steps:

Household Water Treatment (usually via locally-produced water chlorination product)

 Safe Storage of Water

Picture source: cdc.gov. Global water, Sanitation and Hygiene. [Online] Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/global/

   3. Behavioural Education to improve a community’s health practices From these requirements, SWS together with community cooperation satisfies the requirements for being a Holistic Approach.

For more information check out the resources

The H2O Team

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A Holistic Approach

When trying to solve a problem as widespread and global as clean water access, it is always good to have a specific aim in mind. Our aim is to reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water by 2015 (Millennium Goal). To achieve this there are many different types of water treatments possible:

1. Safe Water System

2. Solar Disinfection

3. Flocculant-Disinfection

4. Ceramic Filters

5. Biosand Filters

6. Boiling

However despite the proven positive impacts, the main issue in providing access to clean water is not the treatments but rather the lack of acceptance and education of societies around the world. No matter how effective the treatments are, they are only useful if the community/culture adopts and accepts them.

Therefore the solution to the water crisis around the world is not a singular approach, but rather a holistic approach that balances education in a behavioural and cultural context. We must first understand the cultural and societal impact of the various interventions that we introduce. So we may educate and inform them in the best and most helpful way.

The H2O Team

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Solution Miniseries

In the past week we have looked at some of the possible diseases and outcomes that originate from the lack of clean water.

Now is the time to address some of the solutions that are available. This series will begin with a holistic approach and then detail some of the useful treatment options.

Including:

Safe Water System

Solar Disinfection

Flocculant-Disinfection

Ceramic Filters

Biosand Filters

So keep an eye out for future posts

The H20 Team

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Accessibility of safe water – the impact of “water fetching”

If you are reading this, chances are your water flows cleanly and reliably from a tap, perhaps only a few steps away. But have you ever stopped to consider how your life would be different if having clean water meant multiple – potentially treacherous - trips per day to a well or other water source, possibly an hour walk away?

Picture source: Walk With Jesus Online. Can you trust your conscience? 2013. Available from: http://walkwithjesusonline.com/trust-conscience/

Water fetching is a part of daily life for many people in the world

In the developing countries studied, the percentage of people who need to travel to a removed water source can be anywhere between 50-95% of a population, especially for West and Central African countries. The burden water fetching has on a community has traditionally been measured in terms of its opportunity cost – i.e. if individuals did not have to collect water, they could contribute in other productive ways to their community through employment, etc. However the negative impact water fetching has on a community extends beyond the opportunity cost of the time spent used to collect water.

Who is most affected in the community?

In the majority of developing communities studied, women typically do most of the water fetching, accounting for between 50-75% of the workload. Children are also overly represented, doing anywhere between 5-15% of the workload.

How does opportunity cost weigh in?

One of the key arguments against water fetching is that it wastes time that could be put towards a better purpose. For example, if not for water fetching, more women would be free to seek employment to supplement their household’s income, or support the household in other ways. In some circumstances, simply waiting in line for water may take an hour or more. In relation to children, they would have more time to go to school and study. An additional effect of this education is that children may become even more aware of clean water and sanitation issues, and then be able to prevent illness in themselves in the future. This helps to break the cycle of misinformation, ignorance and suffering.

Energy expenditure and health

Another issue with having to fetch water is the sheer physical effort involved. The water source may be an hour away, and the carrier has to take a vessel all the way there, fill it up, and walk back with a container full of water that may weigh many kilograms. In developing countries where safe water is scarce, it is likely dietary requirements may not being met either. A poor diet coupled with sustained physical effort may lead to deterioration in health and severe fatigue.

The dangerous nature of the journey

Not only may the journey be long and physically demanding, there may also be potential for serious harm or injury. For example, if the water source is accessed via a road, there is the possibility for pedestrians being hit by motor vehicles – especially in developing countries where the roads and road rules may not be as refined as more developed countries. Physical or sexual assault is also an issue for small groups of women walking alone to fetch water, along with the potential of attack from wild animals. The terrain itself may also been a hazard – steep hills or uneven ground may pose a trip hazard and could lead to sprained joints or broken bones. In addition to all this, there is also the risk of being exposed to pathogens that may exist in a higher concentration around bodies of water, and are looking to take advantage of a cut or a graze to cause an infection.

What needs to be done?

These issues highlight the need for not only safe, clean drinking water – but also a reliable source that is close by. Water is a necessary natural resource and we need to ensure everyone has safe access to safe water.

The H2O Team

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UNICEF have recently launched the "Tap Project Challenge".

This initiative requires you to put down your phone in exchange for giving children clean water. The best bit? You don't even have to pay! UNICEF has brought on some amazing sponsors and for every 10 minutes of not using your phone, you can provide a day of clean water to a child in need.

So what are you waiting for? Visit here for more information or visit uniceftapproject.org on your mobile phone today!

The H2O Team.

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Social stigma of arsenicosis in Bangladesh

Previously we have seen unclean water’s impact through diseases, but an equally as important impact is the effect on the social aspects of a community. So in this post and the next we look at some of these social impacts with the first being the additional effects of arsenicosis in Bangladesh. 

Picture source: nbcnews.com. Arsenic water killing 1 in 5 in Bangladesh. [Online] Available from: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/37958050/ns/health-health_care/t/arsenic-water-killing-bangladesh/#.Uzeg7aiSySo

Social ostracism

Bangladesh has one of the biggest problems with arsenic-contaminated water sources and it is here that some of the biggest social problems are also seen. The unaffected population are scared of people suffering from arsenicosis – easily recognised by highly visible skin lesions. Often sufferers are wrongly identified as having leprosy and are excluded from their village’s life. This means that in addition to having the physical symptoms of arsenicosis, they now have to endure the additional hardships of being separated from their loved-ones, excluded from social and religious events, prevented from attending school, and being treated in a hostile manner – being told to stay at home, or leave the village.

Women and marriage

As social outcasts, it is almost impossible for women with arsenicosis to live a humane life in the patriarchal system of Bangladesh. Once they have developed the signs of the disease, they are told they will not be able to marry, or if they already are already married, they are promptly divorced by their husband in the vast majority of cases. As an unmarried woman in this society they may then have to pay a large dowry in order to get married, be subject to physical abuse, or be forced into polygamous relationships.

Children and education

The effects of arsenic exposure from contaminated water are felt in two different ways for children trying to gain an education. Firstly, there is the social impact – they are unable to attend school because their peers will not share a classroom with someone who has arsenicosis. Secondly, the negative health effects of arsenic lead to a decline in cognitive ability across the board – including losses in verbal intelligence, attention, memory and visual-spatial abilities. This results in a lack of education among children and only serves to perpetuate the cycle of disease and ostracism due to misinformation within Bangladeshi communities.

Socio-economic considerations

Sufferers of arsenicosis are placed in a very difficult situation with very limited ways and means to improve their situation. Medical treatment is expensive and in most cases the patient will not be able to afford it, especially as by that stage they would likely have lost their job due to discrimination from employers, who will often not want to employ an affected person. Therefore they are stuck alone with their disease, without the possibility of treatment or the opportunities to seek it. It truly is a vicious cycle that traps its victims, all because of contaminated drinking water.

How can we prevent these negative things occurring in these communities?

Education about arsenic contamination and the nature of arsenicosis would help to reduce the social stigma and associated ostracism surrounding this condition. Perhaps if unaffected individuals were more educated on this issue they would be able to help and support victims instead of abandoning them. However, this entire problem would never exist if only these communities in Bangladesh had access to safe, clean drinking water! Access to safe drinking water is a fundamental human right, and as such more effort needs to be invested in providing clean water to the affected communities across Bangladesh and elsewhere across the globe.

For more information refer to the resources section

The H2O Team

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Typhoid Fever

What is typhoid fever?

Typhoid fever, simply known as typhoid and otherwise known as Enteric fever, is an infection caused by the bacteria Salmonella typhi. About 12 million people around the world are affected by typhoid and more than 50,000 of these people die every year.

How is it transmitted?

Typhoid is most often transmitted by ingesting food or drinks that have been contaminated with Salmonella typhi, the bacteria causing typhoid fever.

What are the symptoms?

Some people don’t develop any symptoms. However, within one to three weeks most infected people will display symptoms which may include:

Rash on the abdomen and chest

Fever

Headache

Constipation or diarrhea

Fatigue

Loss of appetite

Dehydration

In severe infections a person may suffer from other life threatening problems such as:

Liver enlargement

Spleen enlargement

Bleeding in the intestines

Encephalitis

Intestinal perforation

Severe dehydration

Where is typhoid fever a concern?

Typhoid is common in many developing countries that have poor sanitation and poor access to clean water. Countries in Asia, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central and South America are some of the worst affected nations in the world.

Picture source: Myhousecallmd.com. Typhoid Articles - House Call, MD. [Online] Available from: http://www.myhousecallmd.com/tag/typhoid/

Is there any treatment?

Typhoid fever is generally treated with antibiotics. People who are carriers of the disease can also be treated by taking prolonged antibiotics or by having their gallbladder removed.

Where is typhoid fever a concern?

Typhoid is common in many developing countries that have poor sanitation and poor access to clean water. Countries in Asia, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central and South America are some of the worst affected nations in the world.

Picture source: Stepbystep.com. How to Prevent Typhoid When You're Traveling. [Online] Available from: http://www.stepbystep.com/how-to-prevent-typhoid-when-youre-traveling-95316/

Can it be prevented?

As typhoid does not affect animals, it is only the human feces/urine to human route that transmission can occur. It is for this reason that sanitation and hygiene in conjunction with access to clean water are the critical measures in the prevention of typhoid.

Vaccines are available for typhoid. However, the number of countries incorporating typhoid vaccines into their immunisation program is low due to the high price of these vaccines and the fact that they are only 60-70% effective.

See the resources section for sources and more information!

The H2O Team

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Cholera

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease which is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Cholera is usually found in contaminated food or water and can also be caught from other people who are infected by contact with their faeces. It can produce an enterotoxin which contributes to the symptoms of diarrhoeal.

What do you experience if you are infected with cholera?

Interestingly, about 75% of people who have cholera do not develop any symptoms. However, you are part of the 25% you will experience symptoms within 2-3 days. These include cramps along with copious, watery diarrhoea which may cause severe dehydration. Vomiting is another sign most patients experience.

Is it just the one type of cholera?

No. Microorganisms such as cholera have particular serogroups which means it has different types of antigens on the surface membrane. Cholera has the O1 and the O139 serogroups. V. cholerae O1 is seen in a large amount of outbreaks whereas O139 is restricted to South-East Asia.

Why is cholera mainly found in developing countries?

It is closely linked with environmental management of sanitation and clean water. As cholera is transmitted from person to person, overcrowded camps in addition to lack of water and sanitation systems can increase the risk of getting infected.

I hear cholera mentioned quite frequently, this must mean cholera is still a big issue, right?

Correct, the number of cases reported to the World Health Organisation continue to rise. In 2011 there was a total of 589 854 cases, including 7 816 deaths from cholera. It is estimated that the burden of this disease is much higher with 3-5 million cases and around 100 000-120 000 deaths annually.

Source: msf.org.au

Surely there is an antibiotic that can help with treatment?

Yes, however giving the patient a rehydration solution which includes a mix of salts, sugars and water is the most important treatment. In severe cases, fluid may be replaced intravenously (straight into the veins).

How can I prevent myself from being infected with cholera?

Boil drinking water or treat it with chlorine or iodine

Eat foods which have been thoroughly cooked. This includes all raw fish and shellfish as well as vegetables & salads

There is also a vaccine for cholera but check with your healthcare provider to see if it is available in your country.

The sources used for this can be found under the resources tab for more information.

The H2O Team