SAFETY PARAMETER AT IMPROVED SOURCES (POINTS) OF DRINKING WATER IN THE ISIRO HEALTH ZONE

Abstract

Introduction: the demand for water is constantly increasing in the world. The absence of safety parameters around water points would favor water contamination. The purpose of this study is to determine the security parameter at the sources (points) of improved drinking water in the Isiro Health Zone. Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out in the Isiro health zone during the period from March 21 to May 21, 2022. Three hundred and eighty women heads of households, including 240 in urban areas and 140 in rural were selected on an occasional basis. A survey questionnaire comprising variables related to the sources of drinking water supply, the time required for the supply, the existence of a cemetery upstream of the source and access to animals and children at the source. The data collected were encoded and processed in SPSS 20 software. The Chi-square statistical test was used to compare the proportion of households consuming water from improved sources in urban areas and in rural areas, by a level confidence of 0.05%. Results: The elements of the security parameters around water supply points were lacking: children and animals had access to 56% of sources, dirty aspects were observed around 50% of water points, the canal of divergence was only present in 11% and the absence of closures in 94%. Conclusion: access to drinking water is a serious problem in the health zone of Isiro. The few improved water sources erected in the area are not well maintained, which means that the safety parameters are not taken into account by the population.