First off, this article specifically addresses how we can improve the poor and unhygienic pure water production practices. We're quite aware and commend the considerable efforts by relevant agencies in some African countries like Nigeria and Ghana. However the gaps leading to public health risks is the focus of our discourse and recommending ways to help improve it. This doesn't suggest that the government has practically done nothing at all but still have a lot more to do towards improvement.
Sachet water ought to be safe and clean drinking water contained in mass-produced sachets to meet safe drinking water demand for the poor, low and middle income earners. Pure water has turned over time to be more popular than bottled water which was an exclusive preserve for the rich and mighty. Some believe pure water is seemingly safer to drink than tap water.

Within developing countries particularly in Nigeria, it’s popularly nicknamed “Pure Water”.

Why the nickname? They call it pure water considering that it’s been seemingly and supposedly filtered and hygienically processed for safe drinking which is not always the case on ground. Some dissatisfied consumers nickname it “gutter water’’ following dirty processing seen firsthand with various taste and smell in some instance: some are reported and some are not, some compromised and some destroyed by relevant authorities. Very complicated situation!

According to “The Water Project”, “Exposure to unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene is a leading cause of cholera and a variety of infectious and tropical diseases in the African Region”

“319 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa are without access to improved reliable drinking water sources”

“In developing countries, as much as 80% of illnesses are linked to poor water and sanitation conditions”.

There are further reports that “more than 300 million people in the region are still drinking bad water”.

According to UNICEF, “at least 1.8 billion people worldwide drink water that is fecally contaminated and 663 million people rely on unimproved water sources. It is not therefore not surprising that almost 1,000 children die every day from diseases caused by drinking unsafe water, and a lack of proper sanitation and hygiene, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)”.

The pure water consumers barely have an idea of the hygienic source and barely know how it was filtered, processed and pouched in sachets. They only see some delivery guy/vehicles roam from shops to shops delivering them down retail lines for consumption.

The only basis for trusting the pure water products is by the regulator’s label and approval number. This label and number oftentimes have been printed/forged and sold in mass. There are two popular and fascinating cases we gathered from the streets amongst the consumers. We’d love to talk about it briefly.

To learn more, follow links below:

http://blog.africahsegroup.com/how-to-improve-sachet-water-production-hygiene-in-africa-the-introduction-scale-of-the-problem/

http://blog.africahsegroup.com/how-to-improve-sachet-water-production-hygiene-in-africa-challenges-causes-consequences-and-preventive-measures/

http://blog.africahsegroup.com/how-to-improve-sachet-water-production-hygiene-in-africa-benefits-reactive-measures-and-conclusion/

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