Household Water Treatment following Emergencies and Disasters- A Review

Uncontaminated water does not occur in nature. Water gets contaminated by various gases, minerals, agricultural activities and urbanization. Various types of micro-organisms also contaminate water. Water has to undergo a purification process before it can be used for drinking purposes. During emergencies like floods, earthquakes and epidemics; families often lack access to safe and pure water for drinking purposes. In these situations there is a dire need to purify water at home to stop the occurrence of diseases like gastroenteritis. Treating water at the household level has been shown to be one of the most effective and cost-effective means of preventing waterborne disease in development and emergency settings. Various methods to purify household water and generate pure water are being used like chemical disinfection, filtration, solar disinfection, combined flocculation/chlorination system, boiling and safe storage. Promoting household water treatment and safe storage (HWTS) helps vulnerable populations to take charge of their own water security by providing them with the knowledge and tools to treat their own drinking water.