Household-stored drinking water quality among households of under-five children with and without acute diarrhea in towns of Wegera District, in North Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Contamination of drinking water in household water storage containers and inadequate water supplies are common public burdens in low- and middle-income countries, including towns in Wegera District, Ethiopia. Our study aimed to assess the quality of drinking water and identify factors associated with diarrhea in households with under-five (U5) children with and without diarrhea in Ambagiorgis and Gedebge towns in Wegera District. Stored drinking water samples from households with U5 children with and without diarrhea had fecal coliform (FC) counts of 59 (86.8%) and 55 (82.1%) (p > 0.05) and fecal streptococci (FS) counts of 29 (42.7%) and 24 (35.8%) (p > 0.05), respectively. The very high sanitary risk scores were 32 (47.1%) and 21 (31.3%) for FC (p > 0.05); 25 (36.8%) and 3 (4.5%) for FS (p < 0.001), respectively. Contamination of the stored drinking water samples with FS was significantly higher in households with diarrhetic U5 children in the low- and medium-risk ranges (p < 0.05). Water turbidity of 47 (69.1%) and 23 (34.3%) in households with U5 children with and without diarrhea, respectively, was above the permissible level (p < 0.001). The residual free chlorine (RFC) in all the household-stored drinking water samples was below the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible level and temperatures of all the household-stored drinking water samples were permissible. Promotion and advocacy of good stored drinking water handling practices are essential for decreasing the high risk of microbial contamination in both study areas. We recommend education interventions targeting personal hygiene and drinking water handling at the household level.

Differentiated vulnerabilities and capacities for adaptation to water shortage in Gaborone, Botswana

“…While changing routines is a commonly identified coping strategy (Smiley, 2016;Thompson et al, 2000), it is difficult to find accounts that include the associated loss of livelihood. Similarly, household water storage, another important coping and adaptation strategy, is commonly found in both our findings and the broader literature (Smiley, 2016;Thompson et al, 2000) but is likely to also affect water quality, as untreated bacteria in buckets and tanks frequently lead to water-borne diseases (Feleke et al, 2018). Thus, although all our participants blamed health challenges such as stomach ache and diarrhoea on the poor quality of the water provided by the WUC, it is important to note that they could have other causes.…”

Bacteriological and Physicochemical Quality of Drinking Water in Adis Kidame Town, Northwest Ethiopia

“…Similarly, other studies in Ethiopia reported a high rate of total coliform prevalence of 77–100% [ 9 – 11 ] and 80 to 100% prevalence of faecal coliform [ 10 – 13 ] in the drinking water system. Drinking water pollution at the source, distribution line, or the household level has been a big public health concern in developing nations such as Ethiopia [ 12 – 16 ]. In this study, water samples from almost all the households' containers were found to be contaminated with coliforms, which strongly suggested poor handling practices at the household level.…”

Bacteriological and Physicochemical Quality of Drinking Water in Wegeda Town, Northwest Ethiopia

“…Several studies have been conducted regarding the bacteriological quality of drinking water in the different localities of Ethiopia. For instance, a study in Jimma zone (south west Ethiopia) by Yasin et al [ 7 ] reported that all drinking water samples were tested positive for total and fecal coliforms; Tabor et al [ 8 ] reported that 77% of the drinking water samples in Bahir Dar city (Northwest Ethiopia) were tested positive for total coliform counts, and they had a high-risk score; a study by Berhanu and Hailu [ 9 ] in Bona District (southern Ethiopia) showed that 86% of the drinking water did not meet the WHO guidelines for drinking water qaulity; a study in Adama town (Eastern Ethiopia) by Temesgen and Hameed [ 10 ] showed that 44.2% and 28.9% of the water samples were tested positive for fecal coliforms and fecal streptococcus, respectively; Feleke et al [ 11 ] reported fecal coliform count of 82.1 to 86.8% in drinking water in Wogera town (Northern Ethiopia); Duressa et al [ 12 ] reported total coliform count of 100% and fecal coliform count of 37% in drinking water sample in Nekemte town (Western Ethiopia); a study by Alemayehu et al [ 13 ] in the southern region showed that 44.7% and 50.9% of the drinking water samples were contaminated with E. coli and Enterococcus , respectively, and had a high-risk score; and a study by Gizachew et al [ 14 ] in Boloso Sore district (southern Ethiopia) reported that 91% and 44% of drinking water samples collected from households and the sources were tested positive for fecal coliforms.…”