Factors Affecting Drinking Water Quality from Source to Home in Tehuledere Woreda, Northeast Ethiopia

Abstract

BACK GROUND: Water becomes contaminated with faecal material due to inadequate protection of the source, unhygienic practices of the community at the source and poor household handling practices. The objective of this study was to identify the risks associated with the protected source, to determine the water quality of the source and household drinking water and to assess the water handling practices of the community. METHODS: A cross-sectional study on the quality of protected springs and household drinking water by testing for bacterial contamination was carried out in Tehuledere woreda in January 2002. Data were collected using sanitary survey, interviewing of households and bacteriological analysis of water. The study included five protected springs and 192 selected household users of the springs as sole sources of all purpose water supplies. RESULTS: It was found that a spring with high sanitary risk score had an inferior quality bacteriological tests (Hitecha spring) while those springs with low sanitary risk score found had excellent quality (Gobeya and Pasomile). Among a total of 192 households, 123(64.1%) washed their hands during collection of water, 141(73.4%) rinsed their collection containers. In addition, 178(92.7%) had cover for their storage vessels and 138 (72.0%) drew water from container by dipping. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicated that spring protection was found to be necessary condition but not a sufficient condition for the provision of safe water supply. Training of local people to look after the water supply system, expansion of hygiene, health education on sanitation could have a notable impact for the provision of safe water supply. [Ethiop J Health Sci 2003; 13(2): 95-106].

Ethiop J Health Sci Vol. 13, No 2 July 2003