A new study of 1,650 households has revealed that environmental knowledge is of crucial importance for how families cope with poor drinking water quality in low- and middle-income countries, with 90% of households actively treating water before consumption.
Titled Unlocking the path to improved domestic water use: how environmental knowledge shapes household coping behaviour, the research was led by EfD Ghana's Anthony Amoah alongside colleagues from universities in Ghana and Kenya.
The study concludes that environmental knowledge is a decisive factor in household coping behavior with domestic water use, highlighting how awareness of environmental risks directly influences the preventive steps, such as boiling, filtering, or safe water storage, that families take to ensure drinking water is safe.
Knowledge leads to action
“Our findings show that when people understand the risks associated with water pollution, they are far more likely to adopt coping behaviors that protect their households,” Anthony Amoah said.
Using an instrumental variable approach -- a method that uncovers true cause-and-effect relationships when standard analysis is complicated by hidden factors -- the researchers established a causal link between environmental knowledge and water treatment behaviors. This moves beyond simple correlation to show how awareness drives action. They also identified additional factors shaping household responses, including demographics, household water characteristics, and both economic and behavioral influences.
The findings carry significant public health implications. In settings where access to safe drinking water remains limited, coping behaviors are crucial in preventing water-related diseases and deaths arising from polluted environments.
Education campaigns recommended
While global efforts have expanded access to safe water, the study highlights persistent challenges in low-income and some middle-income countries, particularly in Africa and Asia, where households must still devise strategies to safeguard water quality.
The authors, including Edmund Kwablah (Central University, Ghana), Michael Tuffuor (University of Environment and Sustainable Development, Ghana), and Consolata Ngala (Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya), recommend public education campaigns and policies that enhance environmental knowledge to help households adopt safer water practices and reduce waterborne illnesses in vulnerable communities.
Read the full study here.
By Vicentia Quartey