Over 5,000 people die each day from diarrheal diseases contracted from drinking contaminated water. According to the World Health Organization, 1.8 million human deaths per year are attributed to unsafe water supply, sanitation, and hygiene. These diseases are transmitted through contact with and consumption of contaminated water and can be completely prevented if safe water and proper sanitation are made available.
Although community wells provide fresh water to people in third world countries such as Kenya, the water from these wells is not always refined. Water is at risk of contamination from many sources: inside the well, within a bucket or cup, or through the consumers' hands. While water wells are the first step in providing universal access to pure water, this solution is not adequate.
In the past, aid workers have tried to purify the water with chlorine drops. First, small chlorine bottles were sold to families at local markets. In Kenya, specifically, these chlorine bottles were readily available for a very small cost.
However, according to a past survey* by a group called Innovations for Poverty Action, only a small percentage of people bought the chlorine bottles and an even smaller percentage actively used the purifying method.
Next, workers left free chlorine bottles at the community wells in attempt to make the chlorine more accessible. However, when this method also proved to be unsuccessful, workers built separate chlorine dispensers at the site of the wells. Still, only 40% of people took advantage of this free resource.
Although community wells provide fresh water to people in third world countries such as Kenya, the water from these wells is not always refined. Water is at risk of contamination from many sources: inside the well, within a bucket or cup, or through the consumers' hands. While water wells are the first step in providing universal access to pure water, this solution is not adequate.
In the past, aid workers have tried to purify the water with chlorine drops. First, small chlorine bottles were sold to families at local markets. In Kenya, specifically, these chlorine bottles were readily available for a very small cost.
However, according to a past survey* by a group called Innovations for Poverty Action, only a small percentage of people bought the chlorine bottles and an even smaller percentage actively used the purifying method.
Next, workers left free chlorine bottles at the community wells in attempt to make the chlorine more accessible. However, when this method also proved to be unsuccessful, workers built separate chlorine dispensers at the site of the wells. Still, only 40% of people took advantage of this free resource.
*http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/06/20/193587906/a-surprising-barrier-to-clean-water-human-nature