WQA applauds latest WHO report touting point-of-use technology
LISLE, IL, April 4, 2007 -- The Water Quality Association applauds a recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO) that highlights point-of-use (POU) technology as a key weapon in the fight against waterborne disease.
WQA Executive Director Peter J. Censky said, "The WHO report reaffirms something that we have seen in other studies, that point-of-use technologies can serve as a final barrier to waterborne diseases as well as environmental contaminants that enter through the water supply."
Using POU technology as a final barrier was also a common theme during the WQA Aquatech USA show last week, in Orlando, Florida.
Combating Waterborne Disease at the Household Level makes the case for managing water quality in the home, describes the WHO Network advocating for international household water treatment, provides a brief overview of low-cost technologies, and outlines anticipated implementation challenges.
According to the report, "A growing body of research has confirmed the key role that point-of-use water quality interventions can play in reducing diarrhoeal disease in a cost-effective manner."
WHO estimates that 94 percent of diarrhoeal cases are preventable through modifications to the environment, including interventions to increase the availability of clean water, and to improve sanitation and hygiene.
The report continues: "A more recent (2006) Cochrane review of randomized controlled trials confirmed the key role that point-of-use water quality interventions could play in reducing diarrhea episodes, reporting a reduction in diarrhoeal disease morbidity by roughly half, on average, with some studies resulting in disease reductions of 70 percent or more."
The document also includes information from a 2006 report by the US Agency for International Development that states: "Recent evidence suggests that point-of-use water quality improvements alone result in a one-third or greater reduction in diarrhoeal disease morbidity."
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Also see:
-- Combating Waterborne Disease at the Household Level in the Household Water section of the WHO Web site
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