Household water treatment : safe water storage

Safe Storage of Drinking Water in Developing CountriesThe health consequences of inadequate water and sanitation services include an estimated 4 billion cases of diarrhea and 1.9 million deaths each year, mostly among young children in developing countries. Diarrheal diseases lead to decreased food intake and nutrient absorption, malnutrition, reduced resistance to infection, and impaired physical growth and cognitive development. Since 1996, a large body of published work has proven the effectiveness of interventions to improve water quality through household water treatment and safe storage (HWTS) in reducing diarrheal disease. It is preferable, especially when using treatment options that do not leave residual protection, to store treated water in plastic, ceramic, or metal containers with the following characteristics, which serve as physical barriers to recontamination:\u2022 A small opening with a lid or cover that discourages users from placing potentially contaminated items such as hands, cups, or ladles into the stored water;\u2022 A spigot or small opening to allow easy and safe access to the water without requiring the insertion of hands or objects into the container; and,\u2022 A size appropriate for the household water treatment method, with permanently attached instructions for using the treatment method and for cleaning the container.SafeStorage_2011-final-508c.pdf2010642