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Who is the SWS for?
Why was the SWS developed?
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Handbook for SWS Implementation

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Safe Water System


A Bolivian girl using the Safe Water System to get safe drinking water. The Safe Water System (SWS) is a water quality intervention that employs simple, robust, and inexpensive technologies appropriate for the developing world. The objective is to make water safe through disinfection and safe storage at the point of use. The intervention consists of three steps:

 


Bottles of sodium hypochlorite solution
Sodium hypochlorite solution
Left to right: Madagascar, Peru,
Zambia, Bolivia.
(Point-of-use treatment)

 

 

Point-of-use treatment of contaminated water using sodium hypochlorite solution purchased locally and produced by a local manufacturer or in the community from water and salt using an electrolytic cell;

 

The CDC Water Vessel  designed for safe water storage
Water Vessel
(Safe Water Storage)

Safe water storage in plastic containers with a narrow mouth, lid, and a spigot to prevent recontamination; and

 

Motivational interviewing in Zambia
Motivational Interviewing
(Behavior Change)

 

 

 

Behavior change techniques, including social marketing, community mobilization, motivational interviewing, communication, and education. These activities increase awareness of the link between contaminated water and disease, the benefits of safe water, and hygiene behaviors, including the purchase and proper use of the water storage vessel and disinfectant.

 

  

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This page last revised October 1, 2003

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Infectious Diseases
Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases
Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases Branch