Rapid Evaluation and Improvement of Drinking Water Supplies in Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa presents environmental health professionals with opportunities to make meaningful public health impacts with modest investments of time and resources. UNICEF estimates that 43% of children in sub-Saharan Africa drink unsafe water. As a result, diarrheal illness is one of the leading causes of death and malnutrition for children under the age of five. It is estimated that each child in this region has five episodes of diarrhea per year. More than 800,000 of these children die annually from diarrhea and associated dehydration.

Environmental health professionals can make a significant contribution in Africa by conducting sanitary surveys and evaluating small water systems. Using simple, inexpensive biological testing methods, the safety of drinking water sources and the efficacy of water treatment devices can be evaluated in 48 hours or less. An environmental health professional can then recommend cost-effective, actionable steps to improve drinking water quality and prevent disease.

In some cases recommendations may focus on taking steps to protect the water source from contamination. In other cases, low-technology water treatment methods including the use of UV disinfection, bio-sand filters, ceramic filters, or solar stoves can be employed to significantly improve drinking water quality.

These environmental health skills can be easily taught to African nationals so that there is lasting change in drinking water quality and community health. Importantly, safer water supplies and better community health improve the standard of living, reduce deforestation due to the cutting of wood to build fires to boil water, and promote global sustainability.