Skip to main content

Table 2 Themes, sub-themes and issues highlighted by the participants for all questions explored

From: Perception of drinking water safety and factors influencing acceptance and sustainability of a water quality intervention in rural southern India

Broad theme

Sub-theme

Issues

Health-effects of unsafe water

Water-borne or associateda

Diarrhea, malaria, dengue, typhoid, cholera, elephantiasis, loose stools

Other diseases

Vomiting, cold, fever, cough, headache, lethargy, sneezing, lack of appetite, mental retardation

Water treatment in the household

Conditions for treatment

Treatment only done for children, treated water for adults when sick, treating water during rainy season

Method of treatment

Boiling, warming, filtering with a cloth or sieve

Feedback for the study intervention

Aesthetics of filtered water

Lesser salt in water, taste of water different, no difference in taste, better tasting water, tastes bitter like mineral water, water has better colour

Safety of filtered water

Water appears cleaner, water doesn’t have germs or dust, filtered water is free from infection

Health benefits of filtered water

Children falls ill less, children are healthier, savings on hospital bills

Non-health benefits of filtered water

Food is tastier with filtered water, cooking only done using filtered water

Other feedback

Unable to spot difference, place of provision inconvenient, no support at home to collect water

Support for the intervention

Complete support

Service for filtration needs to be continued, expectation of a water provision centre near respondent houses, service very useful, having intervention is added advantage to the village

Mixed feelings

Unsure if intervention will be accepted, support from husband/wife important, Village leaders only have the power to help establish intervention, cooperation may not be possible

Willingness to pay for clean water

Fees willing to pay

INR 30/month (USD 0.50/month), INR 100/month (USD 1.60/month), INR 150/month (USD 2.40/ month)

Unwilling to pay

No one will pay money for filters water, not village dwellers responsibility to pay, difficulty in collecting maintenance costs from village dwellers

Other suggestions

Need to discuss with husband/wife, explore other ways of keeping costs down (maybe parents themselves look after maintenance and water delivery), need to pass a resolution at the village level to have such a service.

  1. aUsing the modified Bradley classification of water-related infections [40]