Kiribati is promoting a new solar water disinfection method that authorities hope will improve health and curb diarrheal diseases.
Kiribati is promoting a new solar water disinfection method involving heating plastic water bottles on corrugated iron. Photo: European Commission
SODIS is a simple, low cost method to disinfect contaminated drinking water involving the heating of plastic water bottles on corrugated iron.
In Kiribati, water-borne diseases are a major concern, with the nation having the highest child mortality rate in the Pacific, with over 6 percent of children not living beyond their 5th birthday.
Project Officer Tianuare Taeuea says a 6 month trial in South Tarawa proved successful.
He says the SODIS method is simple, less costly, reliable, less time consuming, provides job opportunities and improves health.
"They said that they are not spending more kerosene on boiling water and they are not now exposed to more smoke because they are not using firewood and we normally have a high cases of diarrhoea but in their case, their cases are decreasing."
The SODIS campaign was launched by the European Union and implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
