Point of Use Technologies to Increase Access to Clean Water in Rural Communities

Access to clean water is an issue that many communities around the world struggle with. While large-scale efforts such as piping infrastructure have been successful, these are less effective at reaching small, rural communities. To supplement these efforts, point of use (POU) methods for water treatment can be implemented. These include boiling, chemical treatment, filters, and several additional technologies. These have all shown effectiveness in a lab setting, but their implementation in the real world, specifically in rural communities, has not been nearly as effective. In this paper, several different POU methods are evaluated for their effectiveness on a small scale, including associated costs with each. A locally specific education campaign for the proper use of these technologies would empower individuals to treat their own water and be responsible for their own health in a way that has never been seen before.