Perceived versus actual water quality: Community studies in rural Oaxaca, Mexico

Compromised water quality risks public health, which becomes particularly acute in economically marginalized communities. Although the majority of the clean-water-deprived population resides in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, a significant portion (32 million) lives in Meso- and Latin-America. Oaxaca i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Science of the total environment Vol. 622-623; pp. 626 - 634
Main Authors: Rowles, Lewis Stetson, Alcalde, Reinaldo, Bogolasky, Francisca, Kum, Soyoon, Diaz-Arriaga, Farith A., Ayres, Craig, Mikelonis, Anne M., Toledo-Flores, Luis Javier, Alonso-Gutiérrez, Manuel Gerardo, Pérez-Flores, Maria Eufemia, Lawler, Desmond F., Ward, Peter M., Lopez-Cruz, Juana Yolanda, Saleh, Navid B.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.05.2018
Subjects:
Asia
diarrhea
Diarrheal diseases
education
Fecal contamination
groundwater
households
Hygiene
infant mortality
infectious diseases
infrastructure
issues and policy
Latin America
Mexico
microbiological quality
morbidity
Oaxaca
public health
public opinion
risk
river water
rural communities
sanitation
Sub-Saharan Africa
surveys
Water quality
water quality analysis
Water quality governance
water treatment
Mexico
Asia
Sub-Saharan Africa
Latin America
Fecal contamination
Diarrheal diseases
Oaxaca
Water quality governance
Hygiene
Water quality
ISSN:0048-9697, 1879-1026, 1879-1026
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Compromised water quality risks public health, which becomes particularly acute in economically marginalized communities. Although the majority of the clean-water-deprived population resides in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, a significant portion (32 million) lives in Meso- and Latin-America. Oaxaca is one of the marginalized southern states of Mexico, which has experienced high morbidity from infectious diseases and also has suffered from a high rate of infant mortality. However, there has been a paucity of reports on the status of water quality of culturally diverse rural Oaxaca. This study follows community-based participatory research methods to address the data gap by reporting on water quality (chemical and microbiological) and by exploring social realities and water use practices within and among communities. Surveys and water quality analyses were conducted on 73 households in three rural communities, which were selected based on the choice of water sources (i.e., river water, groundwater, and spring water). Statistically significant variations among communities were observed including the sanitation infrastructure (p-value 0.001), public perception on water quality (p-value 0.007), and actual microbiological quality of water (p-value 0.001). Results indicate a high prevalence of diarrheal diseases, a desire to improve water quality and reduce the cost of water, and a need for education on water quality and health in all the surveyed communities. The complexities among the three studied communities highlight the need for undertaking appropriate policies and water treatment solutions. [Display omitted] •Diarrheal diseases reported by 82% of the surveyed households for the past year.•Microbial presence at unsafe levels in some households•Actual and perceived microbiological water quality varies among communities.•Many households spend a large income-fraction on bottled drinking water.•Widespread willingness to purchase water treatment technology.
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ISSN:0048-9697
1879-1026
1879-1026
DOI:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.309