Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Department of Health Education and Behavioral Sciences, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Sci Rep. 2022 Nov 30;12(1):20623. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-25001-y.
Protecting water from cross contamination at source and point of use is an important strategy to improve water quality. However, water safety measures at the source and point of use may not be implemented in the rural communities. This community-based cross-sectional study was, therefore, conducted among 1190 randomly selected households in a rural setting of northwest Ethiopia to assess access to basic drinking water services, safe water storage, and household water treatment practices. Water service level was determined using JMP criteria and practices that prevent cross contamination of water at point of use were used to determine safe water storage. Results showed that 23.0% of the households had access to basic water services; 37.0% practiced safe water storage; and 15.4% practiced one or more household water treatment methods. Public taps (54.5%) and protected spring (25.1%) were the common water sources to rural communities in northwest Ethiopia. Boiling (43.2%), chlorination or water guard (26.8%), and plain sedimentation (23.0%) were among the household water treatment methods commonly practiced in the area. In conclusion, rural households in the studied region has low access to basic water services. Safe water storage practice was also low in the area and household water treatment is not commonly practiced.
从水源和用水点防止交叉污染是改善水质的重要策略。然而，农村社区可能没有实施水源和用水点的水安全措施。因此，在埃塞俄比亚西北部的一个农村地区，进行了这项基于社区的横断面研究，以评估 1190 户随机选择的家庭获得基本饮用水服务、安全储水和家庭水处理做法的情况。用水服务水平是根据 JMP 标准确定的，防止用水点交叉污染的做法用于确定安全储水。结果表明，23.0%的家庭获得了基本的水服务；37.0%的家庭实行了安全储水；15.4%的家庭采用了一种或多种家庭水处理方法。公共水龙头（54.5%）和受保护的泉水（25.1%）是埃塞俄比亚西北部农村社区的常见水源。煮沸（43.2%）、氯化或水卫士（26.8%）和普通沉淀（23.0%）是该地区常用的家庭水处理方法。总之，研究区域的农村家庭获得基本水服务的机会较低。该地区安全储水的做法也很少，家庭水处理也不常见。
