Water quality validation and implications for future programming: a case study from Ethiopia

Monitoring the quality of water that is available through improved water sources is important to ensure it is safe for human consumption. This study sought to validate a prior study that found high levels of microbial contamination among water systems in Ethiopia installed by a consortium of implementers led by the Millennium Water Alliance. The prior study assessed water systems installed or rehabilitated by all implementers, so this study is also an attempt to compare the overall results with those from one of the implementing agencies: Living Water International Ethiopia. Our study found that levels of contamination varied across different projects, which could be the result of several factors, including: seasonality of water quality, differing data collection methodologies, or even quality of project engineering. Additionally, this study further highlights the need for health promotion programs, such as Water Safety Planning, to prevent microbial contamination of the water during storage and at point-of-use.