Assessment of Water Quality among Handwashing and Drinking Water Stations in Schools in Belize, 2022
Language
English
Publication Date
6-4-2025
Journal
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
DOI
10.4269/ajtmh.24-0125
PMID
40199266
PMCID
PMC12139546
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
4-8-2025
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Abstract
Water quality assessments are critical for ensuring timely responses to water-related concerns, particularly in low-resource areas with limited water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure. In collaboration with the Belize Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology, we conducted a survey on WASH infrastructure and resources among 221 schools. We identified 65 schools across all six districts of Belize for water quality testing. Among these 65 schools, 83% had at least one water sample that did not meet the WHO's recommended free chlorine residual level for drinking water. Additionally, coliforms and Escherichia coli were detected in at least one drinking or handwashing water sample from 43 (66%) and 14 (22%) schools, respectively. These findings underscore the importance of routine water quality testing in schools to inform timely public health responses.
Keywords
Drinking Water, Hand Disinfection, Water Quality, Schools, Humans, Belize, Water Microbiology, Water Supply, Chlorine, Escherichia coli, Sanitation, Hygiene
Published Open-Access
yes
Recommended Citation
Ly, Anh N; Kossik, Alexandra; Sosa, Ary; et al., "Assessment of Water Quality among Handwashing and Drinking Water Stations in Schools in Belize, 2022" (2025). Faculty and Staff Publications. 5203.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/baylor_docs/5203
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