Ceramic pot filter user satisfaction and water quantity production in tsunami-affected Sri Lankan communities

Sri Lanka was heavily damaged by the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. To reduce risks from unsafe water, the Red Cross distributed ceramic pot filters to households. This analysis was undertaken to determine if flow rate affects user satisfaction with water production by the filter, and if filters produce enough water for household use. Mean filter flow rate was ∼1.25 L/hr, with wide filter-to-filter variation. The relationship between flow rate and user perception of whether the filter produced enough water for household needs is complex. Results suggest that many households had flow insufficient to produce 2 L per household member per day. Although continued use in this population remains high and users express satisfaction with filters, the amount of water produced remains a limitation of the filter.