ANTHC :: Water Use Promotion

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Preventing Water-Related Disease Among Alaska Natives Through Enhanced Educational and Informational Capacity

Disease data from rural Alaska shows very high rates of water related disease. Of particular concern are lower respiratory tract infections and skin infections, illnesses which are preventable by frequent and proper use of water for hand-washing and domestic hygiene practices. This project is aimed at promoting the use of treated water in four Alaskan villages receiving water service for the first time and building the capacity to extend these efforts beyond the project communities with the ultimate goal of reducing water related diseases throughout rural Alaska .

Water Use Promotion Materials

Below are links to the materials created for the water use promotion program.

· Standard operating procedures for homeowner orientations. Orientations to new water systems are conducted with homeowners to discuss the health benefits of using treated water in the home.

· A homeowner’s guide to maximizing the health benefits of modern water service. This handout provides information on the health benefits of using treated water in the home.

· Water use kit items. These are items we provide families to encourage them to use teated water for drinking and domestic hygiene purposes.

· Standard operating procedures for baby showers, trivia and games. Baby showers are conducted with new mothers to discuss the importance of using treated water to protect their baby.

· New Mother Placard. This is provided to new mothers at the "baby shower". It has our key messages on how to protect babies from water-related infections.

· Baby shower items. These are items provided to mothers at the baby shower to encourage them to use treated water to protect their baby.

· Newsletters. These provide information on the activities we do in the community, information about using treated water, and key messages.

· “Key Message” leaflets. We provide families with different leaflets with key messages on health topics.

· Presentation for community user’s meeting. Construction personnel provide a community presentation on operation and maintenance of the system once each home is hooked up with running water. We present alongside them on the health benefits of having running water in the home.

· Community fun night presentation the games. Community fun nights are held to bring families together to learn about the importance of using treated water.We will provide a guide for hosting fun nights and descriptions of the games that are used.

· Supplemental Consumer Confidence Reports. Consumer Confidence Reports are required by EPA regulation to inform residents of the quality of their water and where it comes from. We provide a more understandable and culturally-appropriate supplement to this report.

· School presentation handouts and lesson plan.