This article highlights important challenges for drinking water safety monitoring: A single water quality test may miss periods of faecal contamination and overestimate how safe a water supply really is. Analysis of 524 small water supplies across Bangladesh, Nepal and Tanzania found that E. coli contamination is predominantly intermittent rather than consistent. Isolated cross-sectional surveys can underestimate contamination prevalence by factors of 1.4–5 times. Sampling during periods of highest risk, especially in wet weather, is more effective at identifying at-risk water supplies.
Moving towards risk-based operational monitoring that focuses on the timing of sampling and includes strategies to progressively identify different contamination pathways is recommended.
Nepal
Story of Change: Fit-for-purpose labs for monitoring and managing rural water supplies
In Nepal, Kenya and Bangladesh, researchers working with practitioners and local governments have established fit-for-purpose (FFP) laboratories to support reliable water quality monitoring and operational management of rural water systems
Evaluation of System-Level, Passive Chlorination in Gravity-Fed Piped Water Systems in Rural Nepal
This article presents a nonrandomized evaluation of two passive chlorination technologies for system-level water treatment in use in western Nepal. Our findings suggest that whilst safe storage, service delivery models, and reliable supply chains are required, passive chlorination technologies have the potential to radically improve rural household access to safely managed water.
Global prospects to deliver safe drinking water services for 100 million rural people by 2030
This report documents a global diagnostic survey to evaluate the status and prospects of rural water service providers from 68 countries.
The Role of Psychological Ownership in Safe Water Management: A Mixed-Methods Study in Nepal
This study highlights the potential of psychological ownership and community participation for the longevity of community-based safe water infrastructure.
Book chapter: Improving Drinking Water Quality in Rural Communities in Mid-Western Nepal
This chapter describes 4 years of applied research on drinking water quality in Mid-Western Nepal, aiming to improve access to safe drinking water for rural households.
Construction of a Low-cost Mobile Incubator for Field and Laboratory Use
This paper describes a method for building an adaptable, low-cost and transportable incubator for microbial testing of drinking water.
Assessing the Impact of a Risk-Based Intervention on Piped Water Quality in Rural Communities: The Case of Mid-Western Nepal
In this journal article, the authors assess the effectiveness of a risk-based strategy to improve drinking water safety for five gravity-fed piped schemes in rural communities of the Mid-Western Region of Nepal. The strategy is based on establishing community-led monitoring of the microbial water quality and the sanitary status of the schemes.