Household Water Treatment

Water Treatment Options

Household water treatment (treatment that happens at the point of water collection or use, rather than at a large, centralized location) improves water quality and reduces diarrheal disease in developing countries.  Five proven treatment options – chlorination, flocculant/disinfectant powder (PUR™ ), solar disinfection, ceramic filtration, and slow sand filtration – are widely implemented in many developing countries.

Selecting the most appropriate treatment method for a community’s specific circumstances is often a difficult decision. The most appropriate option for a community depends on existing water and sanitation conditions, water quality, cultural acceptability, implementation feasibility, availability of technology, and other local conditions.