AQUATEST project Stephen Gundry Water and Environmental Management Research Centre University of Bristol

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 Community water supply……

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 …looks murky…what about quality?

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 …but tastes good……

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 Millennium Development Goals Water Target: Reduce by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water by 2015

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 MDG #7 – progress report

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 MDG #7 – progress report

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 MDG #7 - Definitions Access to safe drinking water is estimated by the percentage of the population using improved drinking water sources: Household connection Public standpipe Borehole Protected dug well Protected spring Rainwater collection

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 AQUATEST Preparatory study to establish: needs technological feasibility funding requirements 12 months analysis (18 month contract) Mid-2007: full R&D proposal Funding Euro 446,000 by European Union under FP6:Global change and Ecosystems 13 participants (Europe 6; USA 3; Africa 3 and WHO)

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 Participants Europe UK: University of Bristol (Coordinator), University of Southampton and University of Surrey Eire: Royal College of Surgeons Ireland France: Chemunex SA Developing countries South Africa: University of Cape Town and CSIR Environmentek Zimbabwe: Institute of Water & Sanitation Development Third countries and international organisations USA: University of North Carolina, AQUAYA Institute and MIT World Health Organization Oxfam

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 University of Bristol WEMRC / Engineering Management Stephen Gundry Chemistry Prof Tony Davis FRPERC Steve James Policy Studies Prof Dave Gordon Computer Science Walterio Mayol-Cuevas

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 What is it for? Monitoring Risk assessment and response Measuring MDG progress Ad-hoc surveys (inc disasters) People power ! Communities take responsibility Households react: better HWTS Hygiene educational benefit

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 What is currently available? Static laboratories Expensive equipment, consumables and high calibre staff Long chain to get samples from field Field labs / portable labs Much cheaper, but also trained staff Disposable tests Presence/absence by H2S Others – expensive

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 What do we want to provide? Low cost Target price: USD 0.10 per test Low skill Zero training e.g. home pregnancy test Better than P/A Not full enumeration of E. coli Bands of water quality: traffic light Links Water Safety Plans Risk monitoring systems not compliance

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 Who will use it? Professionals Environmental health officers W&S commissioning engineers Survey technicians (disasters) Water consumers Non-specialist staff (e.g. clinic nurse) Community leaders Householders

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 When? Mid-2007 Preparatory study complete End-2007 Full R&D funding End-2008 Complete prototype design and lab tests 2009 Beta test in field End 2009Evaluation and design modifications 2010 Limited product availability 2011 Full product availability and local manufacturing support

IAS Water Workshop October Website now online Not-for-profit organisation, BUT Follow on water diagnostic products, which may have commercial applications: Advanced technology version Other contaminant testing Biodiversity index

IAS Water Workshop October 2006 The Lancet 2006; 368:1212 Editorial: It is dangerously short sighted to pour immense time and resources into vaccinating children only for them to die a few years later from diarrhoeal illnesses.