Launch of WHO International Scheme to Evaluate Household Water Treatment Technologies

WHO recently launched the International Scheme to Evaluate Household Water Treatment Technologies (“the Scheme”). The main objectives of the Scheme are to promote and coordinate independent and consistent testing and evaluation of HWT products based on WHO health-based performance criteria and to support governments in related technical capacity building activities. The call for submissions for the Round I of testing has been issued and products that meet minimum criteria will be send to one of two designated testing laboratories for evaluation. For more information on the Scheme, including testing protocols and a new report on demand for testing, please visit: http://www.who.int/household_water/scheme/en/

Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality Meeting Reports available
Reports on chemical and microbial aspects, cross-cutting issues, and chemical mixtures, arising from 2-5 December 2013 Geneva meetings now available at: http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/meeting_reports/en/

Batsirai Majuru joined WSH in March 2014. She will be working on a number of water quality efforts, including the newly established WHO International Scheme to Evaluate Household Water Treatment Technologies and the International Network on Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage. She has research and work experience in water, hygiene and health in Southern Africa, where she focused on the health impacts of intermittent water supplies. She holds a Master of Science degree in Environmental Health from Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa.

Nikki Beetsch was seconded from NSF International to the WSH in June 2013 to contribute to WSH efforts on water quality and specifically regulation and evaluation of household water treatment technologies. Ms Beetsch brings to WHO 15 years of experience in the product development, testing, certification and management of water quality and purification device testing protocols for household, commercial, and emergency application. Nikki holds a Master of Science in Environmental Science/Biology from Wright State University (USA) and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Bowling Green State University (USA).

WHO Collaborating Centre launches online courses on water and sanitation
Eawag/Sandec, the WHO Collaborating Centre for Sanitation and Water in Developing Countries, is launching a new Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) series on water and sanitation in developing countries in collaboration with the Swiss university EPFL. The first instalment in the series, “Introduction to Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage (HWTS)” will start on 7 April 2014 and run for five weeks. Participation in the MOOC is free of charge. For further information and to register for the course, please go to: www.coursera.org/course/hwts