Awareness of waterborne diseases and water purification practices at household level

Pages: 580-583
Neetima Batra, B. Sehgal, and Manju Mehta (College of Home Science, CCSHAU, Hisar, Haryana)

Water purification is the process of removing undesirable chemicals, biological contaminants, suspended solids and gases from contaminated water with the aim of making it fit for drinking or a specific purpose. Drinking water is an absolute necessity, Consumption of unsafe drinking water contributes to the 4 million annual cases of diarrhoeal cases worldwide. This study aimed to determine the knowledge and applicability of water purification practices and awareness of various water born diseases by the homemakers at Hisar city of Haryana state A total of 100 respondents from a corresponding number of households were selected through a multistage sampling method. Data was obtained with the use of well structured interviewer administered questionnaire. It was found from the study that boiling technique of purification was known to cent percent of the respondents from sector area and old city area. While use of filters, phitkari, (Alum), muslin cloth, potassium permanganate, chlorine tablet, etc. were aware by them but in some less percentage. More than ¾ percentage of women were using water filters in their home and out of them majority of women were using candle filters .A huge percentage of respondents were aware that impurities of water means dirt, dust, insects, bacteria and viruses in that. The basic reason given by them for using filters was it removes insect, remove dirt and dust etc. A little less than one-third percent of the respondents were aware that filters can remove odour and colour also. Those who were not using filters were saying that filtration is a long process and immunity does not improve, clean water availability in their locality, the basic reasons.70-80 percent of the respondents were aware about the jaundice, dysentery, diarrhoea were caused by intake of impure drinking water. Hence the study emphasize a general look of Indian women of a small city about water purification practices and diseases caused.