Most of what fills a diarrhoea ward comes through water. Water that looks clean can carry cholera, typhoid and the germs that dry a child out in a day. Four methods make it safe, and the right one is whichever you will actually do every day.
The four methods
- Boiling. Bring it to a rolling boil, keep it there for one minute, let it cool covered. The most reliable, and it needs nothing you have to buy.
- Chlorine. Liquid or tablets, at the dose printed on the product, then wait the stated time, usually 30 minutes. Cheap, and it keeps working while the water is stored.
- Filtering. A filter made for drinking water, cleaned as instructed. A cloth removes dirt, not germs.
- Solar disinfection. A clear plastic bottle of clear water, on a roof or a dark surface, in full sun for six hours. Free, works, and only for water that is already clear.
Cloudy water first
Chlorine and sunlight both fail on cloudy water. Let it settle, or strain it through a clean folded cloth, before treating. Boiling works either way.
Storing it is half the job
- A covered container, with a tap or a narrow neck. Nobody dips a hand or a cup in.
- Wash the container with soap every few days.
- Never pour treated water back into a container that held untreated water.
- Keep the drinking container off the ground.
Treat every drop that goes in a mouth
Drinking water, water for mixing ORS or baby formula, water for washing fruit and vegetables eaten raw, and water for making ice. Untreated water in any of those undoes the rest.
Common mistakes
- Straining through cloth and calling it treated. A cloth removes dirt, not germs.
- Adding chlorine and drinking immediately. It needs the waiting time.
- Storing treated water in an open bucket with a shared cup.
- Treating the drinking water and using raw water to rinse the plates and the salad.
