Evaluating the Efficacy of Point-of-Use Water Treatment Systems Using the Water Quality Index in Rural Southwest China

Abstract

Rural China faces a shortage of safe drinking water. There are significant challenges associated with small centralized water supply systems and decentralized water supply systems. Many rural residents use point-of-use water treatment systems to ensure the safety of their drinking water. The actual water purification effect and applicability of these water treatment systems in small centralized and decentralized water supply systems need to be determined urgently. In this study, the water quality index (WQI) method was applied for the first time in rural areas to evaluate the effectiveness of point-of-use water treatment systems. A total of 67 reverse osmosis water treatment systems were tested. The rate of compliance with drinking water standards of the decentralized water supply was low (37%). Compared with untreated water, the use of a reverse osmosis water treatment system improved the rate of compliance with drinking water standards, but this effect was not satisfactory (8%). Among the factors potentially affecting the purified water quality of point-of-use water treatment systems (e.g., service time of the water treatment system, service time of the filter element, and type of water source), the service time of the filter element had the most significant influence on the water quality. If the filter element had not been replaced for a long period, the removal effect of the water treatment system on the total hardness, sulfide, copper, and ammonia nitrogen was significantly affected, reducing the quality of the purified water. To ensure the safety of drinking water, it is recommended to replace the filter element of a reverse osmosis water treatment system at least once a year.

Integrated Water Management in Mountain Communities: The Case of Feutap in the Municipality of Bangangté, Cameroon

“…Access to safe drinking water is a basic human right and a prerequisite to public health and sustainable development [1][2][3][4]. Improving access to safe drinking water has been one of the most important global goals for the past four decades [1,5], and culminates in Goal 6.1 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).…”

“…In other words, from a pure health perspective, the new installations cannot be counted as a success [19,20]. For the last few decades, public health workers have been often disappointed by costly water supply installations without any material improvement of the disease picture in communities [3,[21][22][23]. In a few extreme cases, like in South East Asia (e.g., Bangladesh, India, Nepal), new installations have even worsened the health situation by creating the arsenic crisis [21].…”

Association between drinking water sources and cognitive functioning in Chinese older adults residing in rural areas

“…13 Although all urban areas in China have safe drinking water systems, a substantial portion of rural areas lack safe water supply systems, leaving more than 200 million people without access to sufficient safe drinking water. 14,15 Approximately one-third of the world's population consumes water contaminated with feces, pesticides, and other pollutants.…”

Drinking water behavior and willingness to use filters by middle-aged and elderly residents in rural areas: A cross-sectional study in Tengchong, China

“…It is estimated that about a quarter of people in the home lack safely managed services of drinking water, and nearly half of the world's population lacks safety management of health facilities ( 1 , 2 ). More than 200 million people in rural areas in China do not have access to safe drinking water due to limited water services and lack of complete water treatment facilities, compared to almost all cities with well-equipped water treatment facilities ( 3 , 4 ). In addition, the accumulation of human and animal waste in rural areas and the abuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have exacerbated the problem of drinking water safety in rural areas ( 5 , 6 ).…”

“…Due to China's geographical and economic constraints, many rural areas receive water through small centralized water supply systems (SCWS) ( 4 ). This type of water supply is provided and managed by the villages themselves, with few regular monitoring reports and a lack of proper water purification and disinfection facilities ( 7 , 8 ).…”