Domestic Water Treatment
In many parts of the world, communities lack the capacity to construct community-wide
piped water systems. Today, over 2 billion people do not have access to safely managed
drinking water. Household or domestic water treatment is treatment of water that happens at
home or at a point of use or collection locations within communities (such as schools and
community centres). In the absence of a piped water system, this type of treatment can make
water safe to use and reduce diarrheal and other waterborne diseases.
There are many factors to consider when choosing water treatment methods for a household
or community setting: existing water and sanitation conditions; water quality; ability to
install water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities; cultural acceptability; accessibility;
availability of technology; consistent and long-term use; and other local conditions.
There are many ways to make water safe from harmful germs. The methods used most are:
Boiling
Chlorination
Flocculant-Disinfection
Solar Disinfection
Slow Sand Filtration
Boiling
Boiling or heating water is the most widely used and effective method to kill disease-causing
germs, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
Steps for boiling water:
1. Bring clear water to a rolling boil for 1 minute (at elevations above 6,500 feet, boil for
3 minutes).
2. After boiling, allow the water to cool before use.
3. Store the boiled water in clean, sanitized containers with tight covers.
If the water has a harmful chemical or radioactive material in it, boiling will not make it
drinkable.
In many parts of the world, communities lack the capacity to construct community-wide
piped water systems. Today, over 2 billion people do not have access to safely managed
drinking water. Household or domestic water treatment is treatment of water that happens at
home or at a point of use or collection locations within communities (such as schools and
community centres). In the absence of a piped water system, this type of treatment can make
water safe to use and reduce diarrheal and other waterborne diseases.
There are many factors to consider when choosing water treatment methods for a household
or community setting: existing water and sanitation conditions; water quality; ability to
install water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities; cultural acceptability; accessibility;
availability of technology; consistent and long-term use; and other local conditions.
There are many ways to make water safe from harmful germs. The methods used most are:
Boiling
Chlorination
Flocculant-Disinfection
Solar Disinfection
Slow Sand Filtration
Boiling
Boiling or heating water is the most widely used and effective method to kill disease-causing
germs, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
Steps for boiling water:
1. Bring clear water to a rolling boil for 1 minute (at elevations above 6,500 feet, boil for
3 minutes).
2. After boiling, allow the water to cool before use.
3. Store the boiled water in clean, sanitized containers with tight covers.
If the water has a harmful chemical or radioactive material in it, boiling will not make it
drinkable.
