Household-level Drinking Water Treatment
People in Jakarta spend significant resources on boiling water to make it drinkable. Indonesian women report spending more than 100,000 rupiahs or 11 US dollars a month on kerosene for boiling water. However, a new system to treat drinking water at the household level without boiling has cut down on these costs and reduces health risks among women and children. The system, called “Air RahMat” or “gift water,” is produced by a private-public partnership called Aman Tirta. Members of Aman Tirta include the Johns Hopkins University and CARE International Indonesia. The brand name refers to a liquid 1.25% sodium hypochlorite (bleach) solution which is effective in deactivating micro-organisms such as E. coli in water. The solution was originally developed as part of the Safe Water Systems program of the U.S.-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. When used correctly in conjunction with proper storage, the water treatment solution has been shown to reduce the risk of diarrhea up to 85%. Air RahMat is also able to protect water for two to three days from recontamination. The solution is easy to use by adding three milliliters of Air Rahmat for every 20 liters of water, shaking or stirring for 30 seconds, and waiting for at least 30 minutes until the water is ready to drink.
Read more about this topic: Water Supply And Sanitation In Indonesia
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