Access to clean water plays a critical role in advancing health in low- and middle-income countries. Over the past decade, Ghana has met United Nations targets for expanding access to clean water. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have taken part in this achievement; however, they have done so with varying success. In 2013, researchers from the University of Chicago, accompanied by local partners, visited seven villages in the Ashanti Region in which a Ghanaian NGO had installed boreholes for drinking water access. Household and leader questionnaires were administered to examine the impact of the project on each community. Four additional villages, which utilize surface water, were visited to establish baseline health and sanitation characteristics. Water samples were collected from primary drinking water sources and tested for coliforms. Two out of seven NGO wells were non-functional and over 35% of respondents cited broken pipes as common problems. Nonetheless, over 60% of respondents reported that a borehole had reduced their water collection time by a median of 30 minutes daily. Coliform counts were lower in samples taken from boreholes relative to samples taken from communities using surface water. Finally, we found redundant water services in many communities and no formalized approach to borehole maintenance.
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Research Article|
November 19 2014
Drinking water infrastructure in the Ashanti Region of Ghana: developing a model for sustainable interventions by non-governmental organizations
D. Alexander;
D. Alexander
1Department of Medicine, Center for Global Health, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
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N. Wilson;
N. Wilson
3Pritzker School of Medicine and the Center for Global Health, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
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R. Gieseker;
R. Gieseker
4Center for Global Health, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
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E. Bartlett;
E. Bartlett
3Pritzker School of Medicine and the Center for Global Health, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
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N. A. Rosseau;
N. A. Rosseau
5Department of History, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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E. X. Amuzu;
E. X. Amuzu
7Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Research and Development Unit, Kumasi, Ghana
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D. Ansong;
D. Ansong
7Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Research and Development Unit, Kumasi, Ghana
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O. I. Olopade;
O. I. Olopade
1Department of Medicine, Center for Global Health, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
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C. O. Olopade
2Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, Center for Global Health, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 6076, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
E-mail: solopade@bsd.uchicago.edu
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Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development (2015) 5 (1): 127–135.
Article history
Received:
June 10 2014
Accepted:
October 25 2014
Citation
D. Alexander, N. Wilson, R. Gieseker, E. Bartlett, N. A. Rosseau, E. X. Amuzu, D. Ansong, O. I. Olopade, C. O. Olopade; Drinking water infrastructure in the Ashanti Region of Ghana: developing a model for sustainable interventions by non-governmental organizations. Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development 1 March 2015; 5 (1): 127–135. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2014.205
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