EFFECT OF PIPED WATER-SUPPLY ON HUMAN WATER CONTACT PATTERNS IN A SCHISTOSOMA HAEMATOBIUM-ENDEMIC AREA IN COAST PROVINCE, KENYA

The effect of a piped water supply on human water contact in a Schisto soma haematobium-endemic area in Coast Province, Kenya was studied. Af ter the construction of five community standpipes and one shower unit, there was a 35.1% reduction in the number of people observed using ri ver water, a 44.1% reduction in the frequency of contact with river wa ter, and a 25.4% reduction in the amount of contact. The frequency of river water contact per person also decreased significantly, but the a mount of contact per person did not decrease. The total frequency of c ontact decreased significantly except for washing clothes by the river , washing utensils, and fishing. The frequency per person did not chan ge for most of the activities and significantly increased for washing clothes. The frequency of river water contact in households with high piped water consumption showed a significant decrease compared with th ose with low piped water consumption. The volume of consumption of pip ed water was inversely proportional to the distance from the home to t he community standpipe. These results indicate that in the study area, the effect of a piped water supply on river water contact behavior wa s heterologous while the total river water contact decreased significa ntly, and that the piped water had a beneficial effect on some village rs but very little effect on others.