Household drinking water treatment in rural Indonesia: actual practice, determinants, and drinking water quality

Abstract

Household water treatment (HWT) is a solution for households that do not have access to a safe drinking water supply. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Ende District, Province of Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), Indonesia. A total of 425 household respondents were interviewed and observed about the HWT practice and water storage condition and 143 household drinking water samples were collected for microbial water quality analysis. Results show that even though HWT is regularly performed, not all the water they drink has been treated. The ‘level’ of psychological factors risk, attitude, norms, ability, and self-regulation (RANAS) were high, indicating that regular HWT practice goes in hand with the underlying psychological factors. Psychological factor action planning was the most influential psychological sub-factor associated related with the frequency of drinking treated water. Drinking water is mostly stored in safe storage, but placed in a less hygienic surrounding environment. Though HWT results in better water quality, water quality was not significantly associated with HWT, drinking water handling, or storage. Finally, promoting always drinking treated water and then storing it in a safe and hygienic environment are still needed in areas where HWT is commonly practiced, so people can get the maximum health impact of HWT. HIGHLIGHTS High level of psychological factors related to household water treatment behavior results in the regular practice of household water treatment.; People treat their drinking water at home but often drink untreated water when being outside the home.; Water quality is better if treated, but there is no significant association between water quality and household water treatment or variables related to water handling and storage.;

Keywords

• household water treatment
• indonesia
• psychological factors
• wash behavior