About this course: It is well known that water treatment at the household level can lead to dramatic improvements in drinking water quality. But does Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage (HWTS) also have global relevance? What are the potential treatment solutions and how do they function? Is there a standard strategy for successful HWTS implementation, or can we identify key components which make programs more likely to succeed? In this course you will learn about the most important water treatment methods at household level, successful implementation strategies and about assessing the impact of HWTS. MOOC SERIES “SANITATION, WATER AND SOLID WASTE FOR DEVELOPMENT” : This course is one of four in the series “Sanitation, Water and Solid Waste for Development". FRANçAIS: Dans ce MOOC, vous allez apprendre les plus importantes méthodes de traitement de l'eau au niveau des ménages, les stratégies pour une mise en œuvre réussie et l’évaluation de l’impact du traitement et stockage sûr de l'eau à domicile. ESPAñOL: Aprende acerca de los métodos más importantes de tratamiento de agua a nivel domiciliario, de estrategias de implementación eficientes y de la evaluación del impacto del tratamiento doméstico y almacenamiento seguro del agua.

Who is this class for: This course is an introduction – the only course requirement is an interest in drinking water quality.

Created by: École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Taught by: Rick Johnston, Dr.
Joint Monitoring Programme / WHO
Taught by: Sara Marks, Dr.
Sanitation, Water and Solid Waste for Development / Eawag

Level	Intermediate
Commitment	5 weeks of study, 4-6 hours/week
Language	English, Subtitles: French, Spanish
How To Pass	Pass all graded assignments to complete the course.
User Ratings	4.8 stars Average User Rating 4.8See what learners said

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Introduction to HWTS

The course begins with a review of the public health impacts of unsafe drinking water. We define physical, chemical, and microbial aspects of drinking water quality and present the major classes of pathogens. Information about pathways for faecal contamination of drinking water are followed by an introduction to the concept of HWTS and the principal technologies.

8 videos, 5 readings

Video: Trailer
Reading: About the course
Reading: Further reading
Reading: How to use the forum
Video: 1.1 Introduction to the course
Video: 1.2 Global burden of disease
Video: 1.3 Water-borne pathogens
Video: 1.4 How does drinking water become unsafe?
Video: 1.5 What is HWTS?
Reading: 1.6 Sustainable Development Goals
Video: 1.7 WHO/UNICEF International Network on HWTS - Guest Lecturer: B. Majuru
Video: 1.8 Key messages - Week 1
Reading: Slides - Week 1

Graded: Week 1

WEEK 2

HWTS treatment options

During week 2 and 3 we focus on potential treatment methods. We refer first to the standards of safe drinking water and improved drinking water. Week 2 focuses on sedimentation and different kinds of filtration.

6 videos, 2 readings

Video: 2.1 A Framework for Water Safety
Video: 2.2 Sedimentation
Video: 2.3 Filtration : Synthetic membranes
Video: 2.4 Filtration : Ceramic filters
Video: 2.5 Biological filtration
Video: 2.6 Key messages - Week 2
Reading: Slides - Week 2
Reading: Bonus reading - Logarithms

Graded: Week 2

WEEK 3

HWTS treatment options

During week 2 and 3 we focus on potential treatment methods. We refer first to the standards of safe drinking water and improved drinking water. Week 3 focuses on heat, ultraviolet radiation, chemical disinfection. Specific modules are provided to cover safe storage and combined methods of water treatment.

6 videos, 1 reading

Video: 3.1 Heat
Video: 3.2 Ultraviolet radiation
Video: 3.3 Chemical disinfection
Video: 3.4 Safe storage
Video: 3.5 Combinations
Video: 3.6 Key messages - Week 3
Reading: Slides - Week 3

Graded: Week 3

WEEK 4

Implementation strategies for HWTS

During week 4 we analyse different approaches that have been successfully applied. We highlight key components which make programs more likely to succeed. We ask the questions, what is required that the most vulnerable populations use HWTS correctly and consistently over the long-term? In separate modules we consider the special case of HWTS in emergency response and provide information about the role of government bodies.

5 videos, 1 reading

Video: 4.1 Implementation models - Guest Lecturer: H. Gebauer
Video: 4.2 Targeted approaches
Video: 4.3 HWTS in emergencies - Guest Lecturer: D. Lantagne
Video: 4.4 Roles of government bodies
Video: 4.5 Key messages - Week 4
Reading: Slides - Week 4

Graded: Week 4

WEEK 5

Monitoring and Evaluating HWTS

During the last week, we present different approaches for monitoring and evaluating HWTS. Case studies and guest lecturers, we highlight several key challenges, including the need for consistent use and field-robust measurements. The course ends with a wrap-up module, which serves as preparation for the final exam.

9 videos, 1 reading

Video: 5.1a Evaluation and validation of household water treatment technologies - Guest Lecturer: M. Montgomery
Video: 5.1b WHO International Scheme to Evaluate Household Water Treatment Technologies - Guest Lecturer: B. Majuru
Video: 5.2 Effective and consistent use
Video: 5.3 Health impact assessment - Guest lecturer: S. Boisson
Video: 5.4 Economic analysis of HWTS
Video: 5.5 HWTS selection
Video: 5.6 Testing for E. coli in the field
Video: 5.7 Case Study: Water Quality Monitoring in Nepal
Video: 5.8 Conclusion
Reading: Slides - Week 5