Professional Documents
Culture Documents
IN
WATER AND
SANITATION
2
2 What you need to know about Germs
We use the word Germs to talk about tiny animals that are too small to see.
As we have our tribes, so Germs have their tribes.
Some Germs are GOOD. They live in our bodies and help us
digest our food.
Other Germs are BAD. They live in Faeces and can make us
sic k when they get into our bodies
Even amongst the tribes of BAD Germs, there are many different types and
dif ferent sizes.
Worm Eggs :
.
These are about the size of the dot on this page
3
These Germ s live in ALL Faeces.
These Germ s are in huge numbers in Faeces. A piece of faeces the size
of your fingernail can contain:
• Ten Million Viruses 10,000,000
• One million Bacteria 1,000,000
• One Thousand Am oebas 1000
• One Hundred Worm Eggs 100
When a sm all number of these get into our bodies, they m ake us sick.
The sic knesses give us these problems from time to time
• Diarrhoea
• Stomach cramps
• Vomiting
• Blood in faeces
You m ay even know children or adults who have died from diarrhoea.
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3 Travelling Germs
Until now you have learned some things about Bacteria and Vir uses and
Amoeba.
• They are different siz es and shapes, but all are invis ible to the eyes
• These sic knesses kill Millions of children every year all over the world in
towns and villages just like the ones we live in.
But HOW do germs travel from Faeces into my body? This seems a very
strange thing!!
5
3.1 A story about travelling to Dubai
Muhammad, the fir st brother, wanted to get there quic kly. He travelled by
bus to Jigjiga, then by bus to Addis Ababa. There he took a taxi to the
airport. From the airport he went directly by aeroplane to Dubai.
Addis
Hargaysa Dubai
Ababa
Maham uud, the second brother, was frightened of fly ing. He travelled by
bus to Berbera. From the bus station he took a taxi to the port and took a
boat to Dubai across the sea.
Hargeisa
. Dubay
6
So how do germs travel from Faeces into our bodies? Remember the story?
Ger ms also have different ways of travelling into our bodies.
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3.2 How do Germs travel ?
Remember the story of the brothers’ journey.
• They got to where they w anted to go
• They all took different routes
• They took dif ferent forms of transport
A person does not clean his hands properly after cleaning himself in the toilet.
His hands make a very nice Bus that Germs can travel with. When the
person meets another person, the Germs can change buses to reach where
they w ant to go.
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Germs can travel overland
An animal or person steps on faeces from a person or an animal w hich is in
the open. The germs can then travel on their feet until the person comes to a
place where there is water. The germs then get washed into the w ater.
The rain can fall on faeces of a person or an animal that is in the open. It is
washed it into a place where people collect w ater.
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3.3 Summary
Like the story about the brothers going on a journey, Ger ms travel from faeces into our bodies in different w ays.
They in fact have a lot of choic e! Look at how many paths they have to reach our bodies!
Now test yourself . For each sentence below , point to the path on the diagram
1) People defecate in the open
2) Rainw ater or other water washes the Ger ms into a water tank or w ater
source
3) People take contaminated water for drinking
4) Flies land on faeces
5) Flies land on food
6) People eat contaminated food
7) People clean themselves or their children in the toilet
8) People touch water collectors & containers without first washing their
hands
9) People prepare food without fir st washing their hands
10) Unw ashed hands enter a w ater storage tank or source as they collect
water
11) Water containers touch dir ty ground before and after they are used for
collecting w ater.
12) Unclean water containers enter a water storage tank or w ater source
13) Dirty containers are used in the kitchen where food is prepared.
14) Dirty containers take germs to our mouths while w e are drinking
Now we understand these paths, we can understand how to stop Germs from
using them.
4 Sanitation
In the last few pages you learned how Germs can travel from Faeces to our
bodies. We learned that they have many paths to choose from.
Let us decide together today to make changes in our lives that block these
Mouth
But WHERE can we easily block the paths that Germs use to reach our
bodies? Look at the two black paths in the picture below. Faeces on open
ground can get washed aw ay into drinking water. Flies can land on it.
1) “How can we stop Faeces being open on the ground”
If you w ere the head of your clan, what would you advis e everyone?
You have many options open to you and your family. The option you choose
should hide faeces where flies cannot reach, and w here water cannot wash
the faeces into water.
4.1 Latrines
A latrine is best of all. When all members of a family use a latrine it greatly
reduces the number of people who become sick and die of diarrhoea.
Many people do not have enough money to build a Latrine and so they stop
trying. If you don’t have all the money, you can make the latrine cheaper if
you are wis e.
1) You can make the shelter from traditional materials to save money. Leave
the top of the Aqal open to allow some light in.
2) You can make a fence instead of a shelter. Could you afford four poles
and a tarpaulin 5 metres long? Could you use a w oven mat?
What reasons can you think of whic h may stop children from using your
latrine?
In this last lesson we have learned the importance of hiding faeces well.
What are the benefits of following this advic e?
Good health for you and your neighbour!
• Flies cannot touch any faeces. The germs w ill stay in the ground and die.
• The faeces cannot be easily w ashed into a place where water is collected.
Water will remain clean.
• Flies will bring bacteria from the faeces onto your ow n food.
• Faeces will be open w hich means that people can tread in it, or it can get
washed into a place w here water is collected.
5 Hygiene
In the last few pages you learned that by being careful how you dispose of
faeces, you can Block tw o paths that Germs can travel on. What other paths
can w e easily block?
Look at the black paths in the pic ture below . People alw ays need to wash
themselves in the toilet. Mothers alw ays have to w ash their children after
they have been to the toilet. So it is impossible to stop faeces from getting on
our hands. But, ask yourself:
3) “How can we stop Faeces going from our hands to other things”
The answ er is Hygiene. Hygiene means keeping yourself clean in a way that
benefits your own health and your neighbour’s. The habit of washing your
hands is one of the most pow erful ways you can stop Germs reaching your
mouth.
5.1 WHEN should my family wash
their hands?
• Before
• Afterwards
Can you m atch the sentences to the WITH WHAT should my
pictures? fam ily w ash their hands?
• After cleaning themselves in the toilet • Soap is best.
1)
2) 3)
4) 5)
6) 7)
How to fix
Use the other wire to fix the jerrican to a post as shown in the pictures.
.
1)
2) 3)
4) 5)
How to use
6 Summar y
Up until now w e have now talked about THREE w ays we can block the paths
of germs as they travel from Faeces into our bodies. We have made THREE
walls to block their paths
1) Using a latrine, or burying faeces.
- This stops faeces from getting w ashed into water
2) Using a latrine, or burying faeces.
- This stops flies from touching faeces
3) Washing hands.
- This stops Germs from reaching the things we touch.
Many of the paths are now blocked. But look at the paths that still remain!
These paths are now all to do w ith WATER.
In the remaining sections of the book, we w ill think about how w e can block
the remaining paths that still remain for Germs as they try to travel in water to
our bodies.
7 Water Sources
Look at the paths that remain. What does each arrow mean? Check on page
11 to remind yourself of how germs reach us as we collect water.
Now let us think about how we can w e block the path of Ger ms coming into
the water we collect.
Let us first think about the different ways we collect water.
There are many ways that we collect water.
Taps Rivers and Lakes
Birked Wells
Hand Pum ps Rain Collection
Delivered Water
Drinking unclean water is one of the common ways that people can sw allow
Ger ms. It is therefore one of the most common ways that you and your
children can become sick w ith diarrhoea.
Do you think the Germs are already in the w ater BEFORE it is collected?
OR
Do you think that the Germs join the water some time AFTER it is
collected?
The answ er is BOTH! Why?
How can you know which w ater is clean and which w ater is not clean?
No book can tell you whether your water is clean or not. But in the
next sections in this book we will consider w ays to help you judge
your water for yourself. This know ledge w ill enable you yourself to
protect yourself and your family.
8 Judging your own Water – clean or dirty?
One w ay to judge your water is to answ er for yourself THREE questions
1) What dirty things touch the water BEFORE I collect it?
2) What dirty things touch the water WHILE it’s collected &
transported?
3) What dirty things touch the water WHILE it’s in my home?
If your water doesn’t touch anything that may contain Germs, it w ill be clean
If your water does touch things that contain Germs, it won’t be clean.
The next few pages help you decide if your w ater source is clean.
Whic h water source do you use? Turn to the pages for your water source.
8.1 Taps and Hand-pumps
Let’s start w ith the cleanest w ater. Even w ater from a Tap can become
contaminated if you are not careful.
Is this water clean by the time it reaches your mouth? Look for the following
danger signs!
• Lids replaced by plastic bags. These are difficult to keep clean
• Lids placed on the ground while fill filling jerricans
• Hoses with one hundred and ten plastic bags wrapped round them.
8.2 Rain Water
Is this water clean by the time it reaches your mouth? Look for the following
danger signs!
• Insects and bird faeces floating in the water
• No cover for the water tank
• No cloth filter covering the barrel or tank.
8.3 River & Lake & Birkets filled by the rain.
Is this water clean by the time it reaches your mouth? Look for the following
danger signs!
• Muddy stagnant water
• Water w hich is stepped in by people and animals
• Containers without proper lids
8.4 Wells and Birkets built above ground
Is this water clean by the time it reaches your mouth? Look for the following
danger signs!
• Uncovered Birkets. Rubbish & dead insects collect in the w ater.
• Ropes whic h go on the ground and return into the Birket or Well
• Containers whic h have no proper lids
8.5 Water Sellers
Water sellers get their w ater from different sources. Until now w e have
discussed the cleanliness of these sources
When it is collected, ropes touch the ground and return into the water.
Hands, Hoses and Funnels touch the w ater.
Sometimes, w ater sellers do not have very clean lids for their containers.
Some people use plastic bags or socks!
The water may touch their hands and some other equipment
when they deliver the water to you.
This lesson will talk about how we can improve the quality of our water ….
simply by being CAREFUL! Nothing more.
But maybe you are thinking “What do we do if we are forced to use water
for drinking which we know is not clean from Germs?”
The next section in this book w ill help you decide for yourself whic h method
of water treatment is appropriate for you.
10 Water Treatment in the home
This book w ill not tell you to use ONE method of w ater treatment. What this
book w ill do is tell you the facts about the different water treatments so you
can choose the one you want.
But w hich of these methods is best? The answ er is that each has some
benefits and each has its costs. Let us weigh them up.
10.1 Boiling
Benefits Costs
Boiling w ater for 5 minutes Fuel Costs Money
kills absolutely ALL germs. Every day
Makes water safe enough Water must be cooled a
for even very small babies long time before it’s drunk
Benefits Costs
If used correctly, can clear Chemicals Cost Money
muddy water every day
If used correctly, kills MOST Chemicals can be difficult to
germs find
Give bad taste to the water
10.3 Filtering + Settling for one day
• Good for rainw ater because bird faeces can be mostly removed
• Gently pour off the water and leave the sediment, or even better siphon it
with a hose to leave the sediment. This removes HALF the Ger ms
Benefits Costs
Filter ing removes large things Costs only time.
whic h float.
Leaving still for one day makes Does not remove all Ger ms
other dirt sink.
Together they can remove about
HALF the Germs.
10.4 Sunlight Treatment
Germs normally live in dark places and
are very weak against strong sunlight.
Benefits Costs
Kills MOST Germs Needs ‘Highland’ bottles.
Sunlight is free !! Takes one day
Not suitable for muddy w ater
Choose bottles
Without damage
Without lables
Without colour
Without dirt
• if there is no cloud
• if there is half cloud
This section will talk about what to do when you or your family get diarrhoea.
11.1 GO TO HOSPITAL
Take the person to hospital early rather than late. Why? For tw o reasons.
1) When a person becomes so w eak from diarrhoea and vomiting that they
cannot drink, or become sleepy, they need the help of Hospital or Clinic.
2) The Hospitals and Clinics need to know early what kind of diarrhoea it is .
Why? So they can stop it spreading.
11.2 EAT
When someone becomes weak from diarrhoea and vomiting, it is important
for their life to give them the right food. God w illing, this may save their life.
YES: Bananas, well cooked Rice, well boiled grain or potatoes. Eggs
NO: Fat or grease. This may make things worse!
11.3 DRINK
When Diarrhoea and Vomiting kills people it is often because diarrhoea and
vomiting remove all the water, sugar and salt in your body. You cannot
survive without these things in your body.
So w hen diarrhoea or vomiting remove water, salt and sugar, you must
replace them again! God willing, this may save their lif e.
Mix for the sick person a bottle of special water.