scholarly journals Evaluation of Hand-dug Wells in Rural Haiti

Author(s):  
Hayley E. Schram ◽  
Peter J. Wampler

Water resources, especially safe, potable water, are limited for many Haitians.  In areas where shallow groundwater is available, many household water needs such as laundry, bathing, and cooking are supplied by hand-dug wells. In order to better understand the water quality and prevalence of these household wells, 35 hand-dug wells were surveyed and sampled near the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) in Deschapelles, Haiti. Water samples were collected and tested for fecal coliform and E. coli using the IDEXX Colilert-18 method. Of the samples collected, 89 percent were determined unsafe to use as a drinking water source based on the World Health Organization standard of 1.0 colony-forming unit (cfu) Escherichia Coli (E. coli) per 100 mL. 66 percent of the wells exceeded recreational/body contact standards for the state of Michigan (130 cfu/100 mL). Some of these wells were deemed suitable for conversion to a new well type called In-Situ Filtration (ISF) wells. ISF wells are installed with an internal sand filter pack, PVC casing, pump, and cap which seals the well from surface contamination and provides additional water treatment as water is pumped. Previous ISF installations have reduced E. coli to safe drinking water levels within 90 days.

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 2079-2087
Author(s):  
Prince Kaponda ◽  
Suresh Muthukrishnan ◽  
Rory Barber ◽  
Rochelle H. Holm

Abstract Cholera remains a problem in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Malawi. Our aim was to investigate drinking water source quality compared with water treatment, risk perception and cholera knowledge for patients who had reported to a health center for treatment in the 2017–2018 outbreak in Karonga District, Malawi. The study analyzed 120 drinking water samples linked to 236 cholera patients. Nearly 82% of the samples met the national criteria for thermotolerant coliforms of 50 cfu/100 ml, while 50% met the more stringent World Health Organization criteria of 0 cfu/100 ml. In terms of the human dimensions, 68% of survey respondents reported that they treated their water, while knowledge of prevention, transmission and treatment of cholera was also generally high. However, of the 32 patients whose drinking water sources had thermotolerant coliforms of 200+ cfu/100 ml, seven reported they felt a low or no personal risk for contracting cholera in the future and their community was extremely well prepared for another outbreak. The cost of a reactive response to cholera outbreaks puts a burden on Malawi, providing an opportunity for investment in innovative and localized preventive strategies to control and eliminate the risk of cholera while acknowledging social and cultural norms.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (10) ◽  
pp. 1247-1234
Author(s):  
Kelechi Uchenna Ugoji ◽  
Abba Ibim Green ◽  
Ruth Ngozi Nmoye ◽  
Ndukam Billy Igbere

This research appraises in partial the environmental engineering effects of open dumpsite with peripheral study of the dumpsite at km 3 Aba-Enugu Expressway in Abia State southeast of Nigeria. The investigation includes visual assessment, interviews / questionnaires results, and analysis. The study reveals that the waste dump serves as a sink to many parts of Aba metropolis being one of the biggest dumpsites in Abia state. The sand value of 47.7% obtained from the study agrees with existing literature/hydrogeology of the area. Results proved that the ground water is safe as samples display quality, which are below the Nigerian standards for drinking water quality limit. These values also fall below the World Health Organization (WHO) water quality limit so the residents around do not stand any health risk at the moment. However, increasing concentration of pollutants indicates that the Soil and probably the potential drinking water source may be contaminated with time, supporting existing study. Therefore, this research recommends a well-engineered waste management plan alongside Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) cradle-to-grave approach to management of open dumpsite.


Author(s):  
Herniwanti, Herniwanti ◽  
Endang Purnawati Rahayu ◽  
Yen Purwawinata Mohan

Accessing the characteristics of Refill Drinking Water Depot (DAMIU) is the initial step in mapping the quality of water to be processed into drinking water. Therefore, this study aims to map the characteristics and bacteriology of DAMIU raw water at the Koto Kampar Hulu sub-district to prevent COVID-19. This was a study conducted using a qualitative approach with 7 raw water samples. The bacteriology of Raw Water (E. Coli and Coliform) is an indicator of the required standards in line with the minister of health regulation No.32 of 2017. Furthermore, the results showed that 85% of the DAMIU raw water originated from drilling and dug wells. The distance to water sources was mostly <20 km. Bacteriological tests for E. Coli were consistent with the quality standards while 4 DAMIU sources contain Coliform bacteria due to poor hygiene. Hence, it is recommended that the health department, responsible for consumer protection and law enforcement, provide guidance and supervision to DAMIU entrepreneurs that failed to meet the requirements. Further PAMSIMAS, PHBS, and STMB programs as well as other technological innovations are needed to provide a drinking water source that is healthy, cheap, and protected from disease during the COVID-19 period.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 871-878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Earl Wesley Lewis ◽  
Nguza Siyambango ◽  
Selma Lendelvo

Abstract Water accessibility in informal settlements remains a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. In this study water accessibility in the Goreangab informal settlement, Windhoek, Namibia was analyzed. Semi-structured (n – 105) and key informant interviews (n – 3) were conducted. Long distances and financial constraints are the main reasons for poor water accessibility. Only 11% of residents live within 1 km of a safe drinking water source, the recommended safe distance by the World Health Organization on minimum water access standards. Considering local factors, incorporating an integrated water resource management framework and a public–private partnership is suggested to improve the settlement's water supply management.


2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 533-542 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason T. Lotter ◽  
Steven E. Lacey ◽  
Ramon Lopez ◽  
Genaro Socoy Set ◽  
Amid P. Khodadoust ◽  
...  

In the Municipality of Chimaltenango, Guatemala, we sampled groundwater for total inorganic arsenic. In total, 42 samples were collected from 27 (43.5%) of the 62 wells in the municipality, with sites chosen to achieve spatial representation throughout the municipality. Samples were collected from household faucets used for drinking water, and sent to the USA for analysis. The only site found to have a concentration above the 10 μg/L World Health Organization provisional guideline for arsenic in drinking water was Cerro Alto, where the average concentration was 47.5 μg/L. A health risk assessment based on the arsenic levels found in Cerro Alto showed an increase in noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks for residents as a result of consuming groundwater as their primary drinking water source. Using data from the US Geological Survey and our global positioning system data of the sample locations, we found Cerro Alto to be the only site sampled within the tertiary volcanic rock layer, a known source of naturally occurring arsenic. Recommendations were made to reduce the levels of arsenic found in the community's drinking water so that the health risks can be managed.


Author(s):  
Chloé Meyer

Population using an improved drinking water source (piped water into dwellings, yards or plots; public taps or standpipes; boreholes or tubewells; protected dug wells; or protected springs and rainwater) that is located on premises and available when needed and which is free of faecal and priority chemical contamination. Basin Pollution Quality Waste


2007 ◽  
Vol 5 (S1) ◽  
pp. 67-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Åström ◽  
T. J. R. Pettersson ◽  
T. A. Stenström

Microbial contamination of surface waters constitutes a health risk for drinking water consumers which may be lowered by closing the raw water intake. We have evaluated microbial discharge events reported in the river Göta älv, which is used for raw water supply to the city of Göteborg. Elevated levels of faecal indicator bacteria were observed during periods of closed raw water intake. High bacteria levels were, however, also occasionally detected during periods of open intake, probably as a result of microbial discharge far upstream in the river which may be difficult to predict and manage by closing the intake. Accumulated upstream precipitations, resulting in surface runoff and wastewater contaminations in the catchment, correlated positively with the levels of total coliforms, E. coli, intestinal enterococci and sulfite-reducing clostridia. Levels of faecal indicator organisms were negatively correlated to the water temperature due to enhanced survival at lower temperatures. Wastewater discharges from a municipality located just upstream of the water intake resulted in elevated E. coli concentrations downstream at the raw water intake for Göteborg. To improve the prediction of microbial contaminations within the river Göta älv, monitoring data on turbidity and upstream precipitation are of particular importance.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 497-507
Author(s):  
Philip Ruciaka Kirianki ◽  
Edward Muchiri ◽  
Natasha Potgieter

Abstract Njoro sub-county in Kenya suffers from constant water shortages causing the residents to rely on both improved and unimproved water sources in the area. The households in the sub-county also use different household storage containers to store drinking water in times when water is not readily available. This study was therefore undertaken to assess selective physico-chemical parameters of water used by the population for drinking purposes using standard assessment methods. A total of 372 water source samples and 162 storage container water samples were tested over a period of three months. Turbidity (0.70–273.85 NTU), iron (0.7–2.10 mg/L), fluoride (0.15–4.01 mg/L), manganese (0.01–0.37 mg/L), and nitrate (0.09–27.90 mg/L) levels in water samples were generally higher than the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and/or the World Health Organization (WHO) water quality recommendations for safe drinkable water. The results from this study support the need for continuous monitoring and treating drinking water at the points of collection and of consumption to minimize the long-term health effects on communities consuming this water.


Author(s):  
María Emilia Gavelli ◽  
Laura Carolina Luciani Giacobbe ◽  
Carolina Bustos Fierro ◽  
María Eugenia Olivera

Introduction and objectives: In the context of COVID-19, the World Health Organization has recommended the use of extemporaneously prepared bleach solutions of 1 g/L, as a conservative concentration able to inactivate SARS-CoV-2 and the vast majority of other pathogens that may be present in the healthcare setting. Consequently, there is a renewed interest in conducting stability studies of these solutions. The goal of this work was to verify the available chlorine concentration in several bleach solutions trademarks and to propose a beyond use date for 1 g/L bleach solutions, obtained after dilution with drinking water from different sources. Methods: Bleach trademarks, with nominal concentrations between 25-60 g/L, were subjected to iodometric titration to determine the available chlorine concentration. One trademark was used to prepare 1 g/L dilutions using water from different purification plants in Córdoba, Argentina. The samples were stored at room-temperature, both exposed or protected from light. The available chlorine concentration was determined by titration at preestablished time intervals. The beyond use date was reached when the available chlorine concentration dropped below 90 % of its initial. Results: The concentration of active chlorine in the different trademark bleaches was within the values established by current regulations. Diluted solutions protected from light showed a decrease of less than 10 % in active chlorine concentration during the first 10 days of assay. However, one sample exceeded the acceptance limit after 14 days. In contrast, in the samples exposed to light, the concentration of active chlorine dropped to 96.4 % at 24 hours and 79.3 % after 48 hours. No differences related to drinking water sources were observed. Conclusions: Compliance of the nominal available chlorine concentration in trademark bleach solutions was confirmed. Regardless the water source used for dilution, 1 g/L bleach solutions were stable for 10 days when stored at room temperature and protected from light. Instead, solutions exposed to light maintain their available chlorine concentration for only 24 hours.


2021 ◽  
Vol 277 ◽  
pp. 04004
Author(s):  
Aprilia Harera ◽  
Gita Lestari Putri ◽  
Tim Foster

Drinking water sources derived from groundwater using selfsupply approaches are widely used in Bekasi City because only 26.8% of households are connected to the piped distribution. These self-supplied water systems can be assessed to determine how people choose a better drinking source. Therefore, this study aims to assess the service level attributes of self-supply, including accessibility, availability, and quality. A longitudinal monitoring method by means of a monthly survey to respondents was used to mens perceptions of taste, smell, color, availability, and safety. The results on both household and citywide scale showed boreholes were perceived to deliver a high service level. On the household scale, 93% of boreholes user got ‘high’ score for water service assessment, while dug wells were only 76%. During the 8 months survey, it was shown that 45% of respondents change their main source of drinking water from self-supply to other source for several reasons. Therefore, this study is expected to provide an overview related to the resilience of selfsupply drinking water for a certain period.


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