Strategies to enhance the quality and safety drinking water in Burayu Town, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to develop strategies to enhance the quality and safety of household drinking water (HDW) in Burayu town, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia and other similar settings. Quantitative, non-interventional and cross-sectional research design and risk-based approach to HDW safety were employed. The data was collected from 265 households using an interview schedule and testing of water samples for faecal contamination indicators based on membrane filtration technique. Descriptive and explanatory methods which include bivariate and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to analyse the data. The results revealed that 10.9% of all the sample households had low risk drinking water safety on combined water sample test and HDWI analysis. However, 57.0% of all the water samples, 82.1% of bottled water and 78.6% of the household treated drinking water samples using chlorine products were free of contamination indicators. Only 19.2% of the low risk HDW quality test results were aligned with the same risk level on the combined analysis. Diarrhoea occurrence among under five years of age children was associated with lack of HDW safety risk perception (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.3 -6.3), lack of latrine (OR 4.9, 95% CI 1.2 - 20.0) and regular cleaning of food utensils by the households (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.2 -13.6). Low risk HDW safety was associated with household water treatment (HWT) practices (AOR 12.6.0, 95%CI 1.2 – 125.0) and with low risk HDWI result having 58.0% (n=29) overlap on this risk level. Low risk microbial water quality findings were associated with bottled water (AOR 4.3, 95%CI 1.5 – 12.9) and HWT using chlorine products (AOR 3.2 95%CI 1.1 – 9.8), household’s higher income (AOR 5.3 95% CI 1.4 – 20.2) and frequency of water container cleaning (AOR 2.6, 95% CI 2.5 – 5.1). This research further identified that HWT practices were associated with HDW safety risk perception that increased the practice by 72.0 % (AOR 0.28, 95% CI: 0.09–0.90) and with households’ ability to conducting HWT (AOR 7.7 95%CI 3.7 -15.9). In conclusion the safety of drinking water at household level is a big concern and comprehensive strategies are required to address the problem.