Relationship (or its lack) between population and a water and sanitation service: a study of users' perception in Vitória (ES) Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to identify and analyse the perception of groups of dwellers of Vitó ria, Espírito Santo, Brazil, regarding their relationship with the water and sanitation service and aspects of water handling. Participants living in four distinct urban districts of the capital city were interviewed in their own houses and the Discourse of the Collective Subject approach was employed to order the data so obtained. The testimonies revealed the health risk to which individuals were exposed by virtue of: (i) inadequate knowledge concerning the water supply offered, (ii) lack of stimulus to exert their citizens' rights and obligations in relation to the water provided for their consumption and (iii) poor channels of communication between the community, the water and sanitation service and the local public health authority. The study concluded that there is a need to rethink the forms of information provided to the population that are presently adopted by these institutions.

Examining the public health implications of drinking water–related behaviours and perceptions: A face‐to‐face exploratory survey of residents in eight coastal communities in British Columbia and Nova Scotia

“…While this study examined the public health implications of drinking water–related behaviours and perceptions in eight small communities on the east and west coasts of Canada, our findings have relevance to a broader audience. For example, our study contributes to the development of a growing body of literature concerning public perceptions of drinking water (Ramos da Silva et al ), particularly a nuanced understanding of Canadians' perceptions (e.g., Turgeon et al ; Jones et al , ; Proulx et al ), by focusing our attention on small coastal communities, which were, until now, largely unexplored. Equally relevant, this study underscores the importance of acknowledging local context, which is relevant to the specific role that “place” plays when recommendations about drinking water safety and availability are put into Canadian public health policy and practice; as other risk perception studies have demonstrated: “one size fits all” approaches are prone to failure (Giles et al ; Spence and Walters ).…”

Perceptions of Water Services and Innovations to Improve Water Services in Tanzania

“…In Chanhumba, participants described treated water as bitter and some refuse to consume it even though experts tell them it is safe. This is significant for Tanzanian officials, because physical/aesthetic properties such taste and odor are often the most important factors in perceptions of water safety and water source selection (Ramos da Silva et al, 2010; Wright et al, 2012). Furthermore, the acceptability of water interventions can be hindered by resistance to changes in taste and odor, even when users understand that such changes result in a reduction in health risks (Francis et al, 2015).…”

“…The perceived level of trustworthiness of water service providers has also been found to influence water-related behaviors (Ramos da Silva et al, 2010; Wright, Yang, Rivett, & Gundry, 2012). In India, for example, users assumed water was safe simply because it was supplied by the government and came out of a pipe, even though actual analyses indicated widespread bacteriological contamination (Juran & MacDonald, 2014).…”

“…In India, for example, users assumed water was safe simply because it was supplied by the government and came out of a pipe, even though actual analyses indicated widespread bacteriological contamination (Juran & MacDonald, 2014). In contrast, water consumers in Brazil lacked confidence in their provider due to issues of taste, appearance, and the absence of consistent and transparent communication from the water utility (Ramos da Silva et al, 2010). In this case, mistrust of the provider led users to respond with precautionary measures, such as boiling water.…”

“…These studies identify factors associated with the sustainability, or long-term functionality, of safe drinking water solutions, including water supply management strategies, institutional capacity, and the appropriateness of technical solutions (Jiménez & Pérez-Foguet, 2011; Mandara, Butijn, & Niehof, 2013; Marks & Davis, 2012). Several studies also emphasize that user perceptions of water services and water interventions are linked to intervention acceptance and long-term sustainability (Francis et al, 2015; Herbst, Benedikter, & Koester, 2009; Ramos da Silva, Heller, de Campos Valadares, & Cairncross, 2010). Thus, there is a need to disentangle the complex matrix that influences how perceptions are formed, and to explain how perceptions ultimately manifest in real behaviors that affect the acceptability and sustainability of water interventions.…”