The chulli water purifier: acceptability and effectiveness of an innovative strategy for household water treatment in Bangladesh.
To evaluate the effectiveness of the chulli water purifier, a new household water treatment strategy in Bangladesh that relies on passing water through a stove, we interviewed persons who had this water purifier. From households using it regularly, we tested untreated water, sand-filtered water without heat pasteurization, sand-filtered and heat pasteurized water, and household stored, treated water. Reasons for discontinuing use among 80 of 101 persons included mechanical problems (49%), inconvenience (35%), and high cost (10%). Only four households were regularly using the purifier. Three (19%) of 16 heat-treated samples were positive for Escherichia coli. The median log reduction from source water was > 5. Nine (56%) stored water samples were positive for E. coli, indicating recontamination. Poor durability, inconvenience, high cost, and post-treatment contamination limit the usefulness of the purifier. These issues, which are relevant for other household water treatment strategies, should be resolved before further implementation.
Gupta
Sundeep K
SK
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. scg7@ug.cdc.gov
Islam
M S
MS
Johnston
Richard
R
Ram
Pavani Kalluri
PK
Luby
Stephen P
SP
D000328:Adult; D001459:Bangladesh; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection; D004203:Disinfection / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014881:Water Supply / Q000592:standards*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical