Waterborne exposure during non-consumptive domestic use of surface water: a population study across WASH service levels in rural India

Abstract

Abstract Exposure to pathogens from domestic use of surface water is understudied. In many low- and middle-income countries, surface water is used for hygiene, sanitation, amenity, and recreational purposes. In this study, self-reported use of and structured observations at community ponds were collected to measure waterborne exposure across water and sanitation service levels in a rural population of Khorda District, India. Overall, 86% of households (n = 200) reported using ponds on a regular basis. Among observed people (n = 765), 82% put water into their mouth at least once, with a median frequency of five occurrences per visit. Reported and observation data were combined to estimate the proportion (p) of the population that put water in their mouth at least once per day, and their mean daily rate of oral exposure (OE). These were highest for individuals with neither safely managed water nor basic sanitation access (p = 93%, OE = 14 day−1), but still high among those with both (p = 67%, OE = 6 day−1). The results suggest widespread exposure to waterborne pathogens in settings where non-potable surface water bodies continue to be used for domestic purposes, even among households with access to safely managed drinking water.