Aquaya

A baseline study in Ghana revealed that most healthcare facilities lack sufficient WASH infrastructure, such as inadequate water supply on premises, inefficient or poorly kept latrines for clients and staff, and insufficient hand hygiene stations. Some interventions have been introduced under the WASH for Healthcare Facilities program, including providing personal protective equipment, distributing WASH-IPC posters to over 450 healthcare facilities, and constructing water systems in hospitals and Community Health Planning Services (CHPS) healthcare facilities. ⏰ On 10th July, at 3 PM GMT/10 AM EST, a sixth session of the Enhancing Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (EN-WASH) webinar series will be held. In this session, Global Communities will present on 'WASH IPC in health care facilities: the realities in Northern Ghana.' This webinar will highlight the program's achievements, discuss the challenges encountered, and share some valuable lessons learned. 🗓️ Don't miss out! Register now to secure your spot: https://ow.ly/j5BX50SvyPz #EnWASH | USAID | USAID Global Waters | Safe Water Network | Water4 | Deloitte | WaterAid | Total Family Health Organisation | Global Communities - Ghana

Aquaya surveyed 234 households and tested water quality at 203 water points (137 in Communities, 46 in schools, and 20 in healthcare facilities) in Wassa East District, Ghana. ✅ Water samples from improved sources were less likely to have microbial contamination compared to those from unimproved sources. ✅ Most piped water samples did not have adequate chlorine levels. ✅ Wealthier households had safer drinking water because they were more likely to consume packaged water. Learn more: https://ow.ly/Qg6u50SuoKt Conrad N. Hilton Foundation | #WaterTRACS | #WaterQuality | #Testing | #Research

Water quality testing is critical for ensuring public health. However, in many cases, water suppliers do not test as often as rules require. Efforts to improve local monitoring usually focus on only one or a few parts of complex systems, such as developing technology, upgrading laboratories, training personnel, using new applications, or reforming regulations. Aquaya tested incentives to improve monitoring and created the Water Capacity Rating Diagnostic (WaterCaRD) tool for a more holistic capacity-building approach. #WaterCaRD was designed to evaluate institutional strengths and weaknesses. It provides a framework for scoring the five critical components of monitoring programs: ✍️ Accountability 👥 Staffing 📊 Program Structure 🏦 Financial 🗜️ Equipment/Infrastructure. Learn more: https://ow.ly/oeUs50SumoQ Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | World Health Organization | International Water Association | African Water and Sanitation Association _ Association Africaine de l'Eau et de l'Assainissement

What are some signs that a household might be struggling financially? Researchers at the Aquaya Institute have developed an Android app to better identify impoverished households in Ghana. The application allows for determining a household’s poverty status based on a survey and machine learning model. This innovative tool improves the accuracy and efficiency of targeting water subsidies to those in need. The app operates offline, ensuring accessibility and practicality for field use. Combining advanced technology with local poverty perceptions represents a significant step towards equitable access to essential services. 🗂️ Learn more: https://ow.ly/Z2uw50Slspv Conrad N. Hilton Foundation | Safe Water Network | #TechforGood | #WASH | #Research

📚 New peer-reviewed publication: What are the costs of water quality monitoring in rural Africa? Rural water systems in #Africa can enhance water quality monitoring. However, the most cost-effective method for microbial water testing remains uncertain. Aquaya compared four different approaches representing different levels of centralization: 🔬 one centralized laboratory serving all water systems, 🔬 a mobile laboratory serving all systems, 🔬 multiple semi-centralized laboratories serving clusters of systems and 🔬 decentralized analysis at each system. Learn more: https://ow.ly/kvT950SoWfh USAID Global Waters | Conrad N. Hilton Foundation | #Ruralwater

#NewFellowAlert: We are excited to have Rashid mwalimu join us as an AquayaLEARN fellow in Nairobi, Kenya. Rashid will support our Program Manager, Peace Musonge (right), in evaluating the performance of the Water Quality #AssuranceFund program in #Kenya in Nakuru, Kericho, and Uasin Gishu counties. 🏦🔬💧 Rashid is from Kwale County, located in the former coast province of Kenya. He is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Analytical Chemistry at Moi University, focusing on analyzing wastewater treatment plants. About #AquayaLEARN: https://lnkd.in/dRcvEYJf

What are good practices for evaluating fecal sludge management (the process of collecting, transporting, treating, and safely disposing of waste from toilets)? How should these practices be implemented in different institutional or governance contexts? Benchmarking (assessing performance indicators that can be compared to targets, historical values, and other entities) has been widely adopted by large wastewater utilities to improve performance. Recently, cities, regulators, and others have begun adopting benchmarking for fecal sludge management. This study, by #URBANWASH, synthesizes literature and case studies. Learn more: https://ow.ly/5vV550SoVah USAID | USAID Global Waters | Tetra Tech International Development | FSMA

The World Health Organization released guidelines tailored to small water supplies. The guidelines focus on establishing health-based and context-appropriate drinking-water quality regulations and standards, proactively managing risks through water safety planning and sanitary inspections, and carrying out independent surveillance. WHO’s framework for safe drinking water, adapted from these guidelines, comprises three elements, namely ✅ developing regulations and standards that include health-based targets (e.g., water quality targets); ✅ undertaking water safety planning, which is a comprehensive and proactive risk assessment and risk management approach that includes all steps in the water supply chain (from catchment to consumer) and ✅ carrying out independent surveillance to ensure risk management practices are effective and health-based targets are being met. Learn more: https://ow.ly/PBi350Slt03 Conrad N. Hilton Foundation | Bahir Dar University | #WaterQuality | #WASH

#MondayListen 🎙️  Join Aquaya's Executive Director, Rachel Peletz, as she shares her journey in the #WASH sector and what ignites her passion for improving #water and #sanitation. Tune in to this International Water Association podcast episode hosted by Erin Jordan: https://ow.ly/oQV750Snznq

Meet Dayna Hansberger, our Senior Program and Operations Manager, #REALWater, based in Oregon, USA. 💧Background: https://lnkd.in/dSK6VUUK 🎵 Music: https://lnkd.in/dWWgunHh 🎙️TV Show: https://lnkd.in/dGGArnvD #MeetTheAquayan #WASH #MeetTheTeam #Research #Program