Safe Drinking Water at Home : Evidence from a Randomised Trial in Uganda

Point-of-use (POU) drinking water treatment plays a crucial role in overcoming the health burden associated with waterborne diarrheal disease in low and middle-income regions. This study focuses on the long run impacts of three POU water treatments –boiling on a cook stove, ceramic filtration, and membrane filtration– in two districts of Uganda. We analyse the sustained use of the cook stove and filters, and the impact on microbiological water quality at POU, diarrheal disease and household savings in the course of 18 months. A total of 600 households are involved in this randomised controlled trial. 450 households receive one of the three treatments and training on its adequate usage. 150 households are assigned to the control group. Data collection involves household surveys and water sample analysis during a baseline and four follow-ups. Focus group discussions at baseline and end line gather an in-depth understanding of the results