Housewives in the flood-prone border area of Hong Ngu District (Dong Thap) now have a simple solution for clean drinking water: just fill a bottle with water and leave it in the sun for at least six hours, and it’s ready to drink.
 |
Ms. Dao Thi Chieu, from Tan Hoi commune, Hong Ngu District, drying water for drinking – Photo: D.T.H. |
However, to obtain these clean bottles of water, certain technical requirements must be followed. Ms. Tuyet Hoa, Vice President of the Women’s Union of Tan Hoi Commune (Hong Ngu), instructs the community: “The bottle must be a clear plastic (PET) type, 1.5 liters. The water must be sedimented and free from turbidity or chemical contamination. When filling the bottle, it should be overflowing, with no air pockets, as these can harbor bacteria escaping the ultraviolet rays. When drying, the bottles should be placed on a metal roof or aluminum tray, with at least 50 cm of space between each bottle to allow for effective solar energy absorption. The drying time must be a continuous six hours under direct sunlight, without interruption.”
“Drying drinking water in sunny weather” is the common slogan of the SODIS project (Promoting and spreading the technique of microbial disinfection of water using sunlight), implemented by the Women’s Union of Dong Thap Province in collaboration with the Center for Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation and the Provincial Preventive Health Center. Under the influence of infrared and ultraviolet rays from sunlight, harmful bacteria in the water are eliminated.
Due to its simplicity and low cost, the SODIS technique has been officially recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the most promising and widely tested methods for household water disinfection. This technique has been successfully implemented in several countries worldwide, including China, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Togo, Bolivia, and Colombia.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Nghiem, President of the Women’s Union of Dong Thap Province, stated that this technique is currently being applied to 1,945 households in deep areas lacking clean water in the districts of Tam Nong, Hong Ngu, and Chau Thanh. By the end of 2006, SODIS will be disseminated to 100% of hamlets in the province that do not have clean water.
DUONG THE HUNG
