Frequent cases of gastroenteritis, resulting in several fatalities within remote communities in the Yasawa Islands, Fiji, prompted an urgent drinking water quality and supply assessment. This project initially investigated the quality of drinking water from multiple sources in communities on Naviti Island. Escherichia coli was detected in all sampled sources, including wells, springs, and rainwater tanks (above ground). E. coli most probable number counts were higher in well and spring water (typically >100 organisms per 100 mL) than rain tanks (ranging between 13.6 and >100). Assessment of potential water treatment alternatives, incorporating community input, determined that disinfection of rain tanks through chlorination was the most feasible and community acceptable option to address the contamination. A model was then developed to assess: (1) the likelihood that a typical household rainwater tank could adequately supply water throughout the wet and dry seasons and (2) the likely free chlorine residual that would result from a program of periodic dosing with 12.5% sodium hypochlorite. In a pilot trial in Mua-Ira village, chlorination of rainwater tanks proved successful in removing E. coli and community rollout was initiated. Periodic chlorination paired with tank and gutter maintenance were recommended to community and a local partner organization, and a training package was developed to assist this. The project holds potential to minimize pathogenic bacterial contamination in the studied drinking water sources and serve as a model to address water contamination through simple, low-cost, community-accepted solutions in the wider region.

中文翻译：

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在偏远的斐济社区增加获得安全饮用水的途径：模拟和实施雨量排污试点计划

胃肠炎的频繁发生，在斐济亚萨瓦群岛的偏远社区造成多人死亡，这促使人们进行了紧急的饮用水质量和供应评估。该项目最初调查了纳维蒂岛（Naviti Island）社区中多种来源的饮用水质量。在所有采样源中都检测到了大肠杆菌，包括水井，泉水和雨水箱（地面以上）。大肠杆菌井水和泉水（通常每100 mL> 100个生物体）中最有可能发生的计数高于雨水罐（介于13.6和> 100之间）。评估潜在的水处理替代方案并结合社区的意见，确定通过氯化消毒雨水箱是解决污染的最可行和社区可接受的选择。然后开发了一个模型来评估：（1）一个典型的家用雨水箱在整个潮湿和干燥季节都能充分供应水的可能性；以及（2）定期加药计划可能会产生12.5％的游离氯残留量次氯酸钠。在Mua-Ira村进行的一项试点试验中，雨水罐的氯化处理成功地去除了大肠杆菌并且开始了社区推广。建议向社区和当地合作伙伴组织定期进行氯化处理，并配合水箱和水槽维护，并制定了培训计划以帮助实现这一目标。该项目具有最大程度地减少所研究的饮用水源中的致病细菌污染的潜力，并可以作为一种通过更广泛的地区通过简单，低成本，社区认可的解决方案来解决水污染的模型。