Pathfinder Final Draft
Clean Water for Impoverished,
Least Developed People Groups
By Jana Lu Williams
Research for the 21st Century: Winter 2008 WAOL course
Introduction
Access to clean drinking water is critical for human survival and is an essential ingredient for improving the lives of those living in poverty in developing countries. It is said that there is plenty of fresh water on this earth to meet all human needs. Unfortunately, it is not always distributed adequately in the right places at the right time, and sometimes its fitness for consumption is compromised by environmental factors (such as floods and drought) and/or by pollution (which is closely tied with the lack of adequate sanitation).
It is estimated that one-third of the world’s population does not have access to safe drinking water, and that one-fourth suffer from waterborne diseases, which are the leading cause of death worldwide. In addition, it is estimated that forty billion hours are lost annually to the hauling of water. When put all together, the statistics on the water crisis, and its effects on health and quality of life, are both staggering and sobering.
The focus of my research is to look at possible solutions for providing clean water to people groups where only tainted water is available. This includes looking at both the types of systems that are available, the type of environment in which those systems are most effective, and what does it take to have large scale distribution of those systems.
Topic Analysis
Academic Disciplines
Environmental Science, Technology, Health and Medicine, Social Sciences
LOC Subject Headings Key Terms
Water Sources water
– Global Distribution drinking
Water Supply fresh
– International Cooperation potable
– Engineering filtration
– Equipment Industry sanitation
Water Crisis health
Water Conservation developing countries
Water Pollution LDCs (least developed countries)
Water Purification third world
Water Filtration poor
Water Quality
Water Resources Development
Water Harvesting
Water and Health Issues
Sanitation in Developing Countries
Library of Congress Classification (LC) Areas
A -- General works
AE -- Encyclopedias
H -- Social Sciences
HD -- Industries, Land use, Labor (1635-1702 Water Resources Development)
HN -- Social history/conditions, Social problems, Social reform
HT -- Communities, Classes, Races
R -- Medicine
RA -- Public aspects of medicine
Q -- Science Specialty Encyclopedias
T -- Technology Specialty Encyclopedias
TC -- Hydraulic engineering, Ocean engineering (401-506 Water supply engineering)
TD -- Environmental technology, Sanitary engineering (201-500 Water Supply, 419-428 Water pollution, 429.5-480-7 Water Conservation, 481-493 Water distribution systems)
Most Important Databases/Periodical Indexes
To my surprise, the Heath Reference Center Academic database rendered some of the most useful information for my topic. The more general ProQuest database proved quite useful as well.
Description of Search Strategy
Initially, Google Directory was helpful in helping me come up with a topic idea. Once I chose the broad subject of “water,” the Library of Congress Subject heading listing was very helpful in my initial attempts to come up with specific a sub-topic and it provided a useful list of search terms. The second most useful means was using the subject categories listed for the articles I found. The third most useful means was using the “suggested” search terms displayed with the database search results listings.
Best Reference Sources
Organizations
Global Water. 2007. GlobalWater.org. 19 Feb. 2008 <http://www.globalwater.org/index.htm>.
Global Water is an international, non-profit humanitarian organization focused on creating safe water supplies, sanitation facilities and related health programs for rural villagers in developing countries. It was founded by former U.S. Ambassador John McDonald and former White House Special Assistant Dr. Peter Bourne in response to a challenge by the United Nations at the World Conference on Water. The website content includes planned projects, completed projects, progress reports, trip reports, media releases, and information on where to make donations toward their on-going projects. The most useful information for my research is their Rural Outreach Water Supply Program (ROWS) which is their model for distribution of water and sanitation solutions. This addresses the distribution aspect of my research outline.
Contact Info:
Global Water
Project Management Office
3600 S. Harbor Blvd., # 514
Oxnard, CA 93035 USA
Phone: (805) 985-3057
Fax: (805) 985-3688
info@globalwater.org
Health Education To Villages. 19 Sep. 2007. Rehydration Project. 19 Feb. 2008 <http://hetv.org/>.
HETV, a private, non-profit development group, is devoted to improving health education, including water safety, in underdeveloped countries. They work within the existing health framework already established in their target areas, partnering with national and state governments. This organization is a good source for statistical information as well as a source of information for a variety of projects currently addressing water and health issues.
Contact Info:
Health Education to Villages
P.O. Box No. 1
Cavelossim, Goa, 403731
India
Phone: +91 832 274 5151
Statistical Source
Downs, Timothy J., and I. H. Suffet. “Sanitation in Developing Countries.” Encyclopedia of Public Health. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2002.
Downs is a professor of environmental science and policy at Clark University and Suffet is a professor of environmental health sciences at UCLA. This article provides statistics on the top 20 water-related diseases including the name of the disease, the regions affected by it, the number of cases per year, and the number of deaths per year (worldwide). The authors support the notion that sanitation and water issues are interrelated and that both problems need to be addressed together. This provides information for the framework and context of the overview portion of my research.
Encyclopedias
Nathanson, Jerry A. "Environmental Works." Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica. Seattle Central Community College Library. 4 Feb. 2008 <http://www.search.eb.com.ez.sccd.ctc.edu:2048/eb/article-72298>.
Nathanson is currently an associate professor at Union County College in Cranford, NJ, and he holds a Master of Science degree in Environmental Health Engineering. This article presents an introduction to the fundamentals of environmental works infrastructure with its main focus on the modern facilities and systems that provide communities with water supply, waste disposal, and pollution control services. It discusses the importance of municipal water supply, the historical background regarding the evolution of public water supply systems, the problems of global distribution of water resources, health concerns related to water quality issues, and a host of other water related details. Sub-topics are organized into sections with bold headings, and various video links and schematic illustrations are included throughout the article. There is an “Additional Reading” section at the end of the article, which contains an impressive list of other related articles. Since there are no citations, one would have to assume that the article is based upon the author’s first-hand knowledge. This article provides great foundational information regarding water sources, water quality, and municipal water systems.
Linden, Karl G., and Richard Hazen. “Water Treatment.” McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007.
Linden is a professor of environmental engineering at Duke University and Hazen is a former consulting engineer. This article explains the physical and chemical processes for making water suitable for human consumption including sedimentation, coag and flocculation, filtration, disinfection, granular activated carbon, pressure-driven membranes, and advanced treatment. This provides good overview information regarding purification methodology.
Best Books
Moss, Frank E. The Water Crisis. New York: Frederick A. Praeger Publishers, 1967.
Moss is a former United States Senator from Utah and was a member of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs (which handled legislation regarding water research, planning, and conservation) and the Committee on Public Works (which handled water pollution control measures). This gave him an exceptional vantage point from which to view the rapidly growing water crisis. His perspective is more about political solutions rather than the practical grassroots solutions of some of the other articles and organizations. This book gives great breadth and depth regarding this issue and will provide a broad perspective for the background portion of my research.
Gleick, Peter H, et al. The World’s Water 2004-2005: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources. Washington: Island Press, 2004.
At the time of printing Gleick was president of the Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security. This book is a compilation of reports, articles, discussions, and statistical data regarding the world’s freshwater resources. It offers data and insights into water challenges facing the public, policymakers, and scientists. The intent of this publication is to create an informed public throughout the world regarding the water crisis. This book has a wealth of information that can contribute to various aspects of my research.
Description of Search Strategy
I found these and several other books through the Walla Walla Community College Walnet catalog. I chose the Frank Moss book because his perspective calls for a cooperative solution between all nations. I chose the Peter Gleick book because it is a compilation of information from various sources. Most of the other books I found were a bit narrower in scope.
Best Periodicals
Montgomery, Maggie A., and Menachem Elimelech. “Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries: Including Health in the Equation.” Environmental Science and Technology 41.1 (2007): 16-24. ProQuest Research Library. ProQuest. Seattle Central Community College Library. 19 Feb. 2008 <http://proquest.umi.com.ez.sccd.ctc.edu:2048/pqdweb?did=1210625301&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=79571&RQT=309&VName=PQD>.
This journal article presents the research findings of a doctoral student and professor of the Environmental Engineering Program at Yale University. It gives a well-documented, comprehensive presentation of the issues surrounding water, sanitation, and health problems. I am particularly interested in the section entitled, “ A Shift to Household Technologies.” The authors suggest that a relying on household water treatment and sanitation technologies may be the best solution for rural and peri-urban areas, and they present a supported analysis. An impressive list of references may also prove useful. The section regarding household water treatment supports my interest on these sorts of solutions.
"Water Filters That Work.(SPECTRUM)." Environment 49.4 (2007): 5-6. Health Reference Center Academic. Gale. Seattle Central Community College Library. 12 Feb. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com.ez.sccd.ctc.edu:2048/itx/start.do?prodId=HRCA>.
This is a scholarly journal featuring peer-reviewed articles on development and the environment geared toward an academic audience. This article provides study results from Professor Mark Sobsey (Environmental Sciences and Engineering, UNC School of Public Health) who, along with a team, spent four months in two villages near Banao, Dominican Republic monitoring 150 households lacking in filtered water and assessing rates of illness before and after bio-filters were installed. The study shows that sand filters are effective in improving health and provides an answer to my topic question.
Bartram, Jamie, et al. "Focusing on Improved Water and Sanitation for Health." The Lancet 365.9461 (2005): 810. Health Reference Center Academic. Gale. Seattle Central Community College Library. 12 Feb. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com.ez.sccd.ctc.edu:2048/itx/start.do?prodId=HRCA>.
Authors Lenton and Wright are coordinators of the UN Millennium Project Task Force on Water and Sanitation, Lewis is a senior policy adviser and manager, Bartram is a permanent observer on the task force for the World Health Organization and UN-Water. This article outlines the global water crisis and gives statistics regarding the health effects of poor water sanitation. Particularly interesting, is the statement that “expanding safe drinking water and sanitation coverage is not complex; it requires neither colossal sums of money nor scientific breakthroughs and technological advances.” This addresses my question regarding whether or not there are insurmountable economic barriers to mass distribution of water purification systems . A list of references includes other articles that could also prove useful.
Frankish, Helen. "Water-treatment System Offers Hope of Clean Water. (Medicine and Health Policy)." The Lancet 361.9376 (2003): 2213. Health Reference Center Academic. Gale. Seattle Central Community College Library. 12 Feb. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com.ez.sccd.ctc.edu:2048/itx/start.do?prodId=HRCA>.
This weekly peer-reviewed medical journal covers medicine and health worldwide, publishes original research, reviews articles, and provides opinion and commentary for professional audiences. The highlight of this article is the mention of a new “point-of-use” water-treatment system developed by Proctor and Gamble called PuR Water Purifier. It gives limited information, but peaks my curiosity for further investigation of this method.
MacDonald, Rhona. "Water, Water Everywhere: Rhona MacDonald Explains Why There Is Still Not a Clean Drop To Drink For a Large Proportion of the World's Population." Editorial Student BMJ (April 2003): 88-89. Health Reference Center Academic. Gale. Seattle Central Community College Library. 12 Feb. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com.ez.sccd.ctc.edu:2048/itx/start.do?prodId=HRCA>.
MacDonald is the senior editor for the Student British Medical Journal. In this editorial, she draws upon the works of several field experts and articles from the World Health Organization. This article is particularly interesting because she gives good, concise summaries of the four main barriers to providing clean water globally – the four barriers being political, economic, natural, and social. Contrary to some experts, this author believes that providing the world with clean water is not a straightforward challenge. This article provides an interesting viewpoint and is useful for foundational information.
Description of Search Strategy
All of my selected articles were found by using the ProQuest and Health Reference Center Academic databases. Though ProQuest rendered many good results, I chose only one to include in my “best periodicals” list. To my surprise, the Health Reference Center turned out to be the most useful database. By far, it rendered the best results. I have included more than the required number of periodicals because the ones I chose from the Health Reference Center database are all excellent resources.
Best Internet Sources
PlayPumps International. 2008. PlayPumps.org. 21 Jan. 2008 <http://www.playpumps.org/>.
PlayPumps International is a non-profit humanitarian aid organization focused on providing a sustainable, free supply of clean drinking water throughout Africa. More than 1000 PlayPump systems have been donated to communities in South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, and Zambia. This addresses the “solutions” portion of my research.
“Water: Turn on the Tap.” Samaritan’s Purse Canada. 21 Jan. 2008 <http://www.samaritanspurse.ca/ourwork/water>.
Samaritan’s Purse is a non-profit, non-denominational, Christian humanitarian aid organization. “Turn on the Tap” is their bio-sand water filter solution for providing communities access to safe drinking water. The have installed more than 70,000 in homes, communities, schools, and clinics throughout the world. This addresses the “solutions” portion of my research.
Best Non-Print Sources
“Water Pump.” Historica Minute. DVD Historica Foundation of Canada, 2005.
This short one-minute video highlights a water pump project engineered by researchers at the University of Waterloo, Canada. It is their solution for bringing clean water to developing countries. This pump is simple, lightweight, corrosion resistant, made of readily available materials, and is inexpensive. The film is intended as a public awareness campaign to prompt its Canadian audience to think about potable water issues in the developing world. It is a well-done, professional quality video. This addresses the question of what is being done to solve the problem of clean water distribution.
Review of My Research Process
To me, research is somewhat like being a detective or treasure hunter. You investigate, follow your clues and leads, check out your sources, determine what holds true and what doesn’t, then put it all together to find what you are looking for. Research takes a lot of work, and it must be done right to be of any value. In the end, it is satisfying and edifying.
I discovered there is a world full of good, scholarly information on the internet. Much of it must be accessed through an electronic library database rather than through general Google-type search engines. Many of the reference materials, periodicals, and journals that once were available only in print, are now digitized and accessible electronically. For example, initially I visited the Walla Walla Community College library to look at both general and specialized encyclopedias. I found good information in both types. Later, I discovered the very same articles were available in online versions of those encyclopedias. I also found a DVD with a short video on water pumps designed by Waterloo University. Later I found it on the internet. So, did I really ever need to leave the comfort of my own home? I did find a few relevant books at the library that are not available electronically. But, in all honesty, none of them provided unique information or a unique perspective that I could not get from some other on-line resource. Therefore, in regards to my topic, I would have to say that using solely the internet for my research was quite adequate. However, I do not believe this to be true for all research topics.
My strategy in this process was to find information that addresses the “bigger picture” of the global water crisis as well as to find information regarding specific solutions in specific places that help solve this problem. I used advanced search options to narrow down the results to more relevant information. I expected .org websites to be my greatest resource. I was surprised to find several encyclopedia articles that provided good overview information, and more surprised to find that journal articles proved to be the best resource. There is much information for my topic focus that comes from university studies and research projects. Within the journal resources, I was even more surprised that medical journals provided some of the best information I found. Generally, the book resources provide a longer-term perspective, but I was primarily interested in more current information.
I found that for larger urban areas the factors and solutions are more complicated due to the scale and magnitude of it all. In contrast, it seems that there are many success stories in more rural areas. I found that many university teams, environmental engineers, and humanitarian aid organizations have made significant strides in solving the issue of both sanitation and water purification for various people groups around the world. There are various low-cost methods of providing simple water systems that service either entire villages, or individual homes within a village.
My perspective (and perhaps my bias) on this issue is that it is important to get beyond the, “We’ve got a huge problem that is next to impossible to solve without worldwide cooperation of all governments, industries, businesses, economies, and people everywhere,” way of thinking, and instead to begin seeing that, “We all can help make a difference if we work together in small groups to make it happen one little bit at a time.”
Clean Water for Impoverished,
Least Developed People Groups
By Jana Lu Williams
Research for the 21st Century: Winter 2008 WAOL course
Introduction
Access to clean drinking water is critical for human survival and is an essential ingredient for improving the lives of those living in poverty in developing countries. It is said that there is plenty of fresh water on this earth to meet all human needs. Unfortunately, it is not always distributed adequately in the right places at the right time, and sometimes its fitness for consumption is compromised by environmental factors (such as floods and drought) and/or by pollution (which is closely tied with the lack of adequate sanitation).
It is estimated that one-third of the world’s population does not have access to safe drinking water, and that one-fourth suffer from waterborne diseases, which are the leading cause of death worldwide. In addition, it is estimated that forty billion hours are lost annually to the hauling of water. When put all together, the statistics on the water crisis, and its effects on health and quality of life, are both staggering and sobering.
The focus of my research is to look at possible solutions for providing clean water to people groups where only tainted water is available. This includes looking at both the types of systems that are available, the type of environment in which those systems are most effective, and what does it take to have large scale distribution of those systems.
Topic Analysis
Academic Disciplines
Environmental Science, Technology, Health and Medicine, Social Sciences
LOC Subject Headings Key Terms
Water Sources water
– Global Distribution drinking
Water Supply fresh
– International Cooperation potable
– Engineering filtration
– Equipment Industry sanitation
Water Crisis health
Water Conservation developing countries
Water Pollution LDCs (least developed countries)
Water Purification third world
Water Filtration poor
Water Quality
Water Resources Development
Water Harvesting
Water and Health Issues
Sanitation in Developing Countries
Library of Congress Classification (LC) Areas
A -- General works
AE -- Encyclopedias
H -- Social Sciences
HD -- Industries, Land use, Labor (1635-1702 Water Resources Development)
HN -- Social history/conditions, Social problems, Social reform
HT -- Communities, Classes, Races
R -- Medicine
RA -- Public aspects of medicine
Q -- Science Specialty Encyclopedias
T -- Technology Specialty Encyclopedias
TC -- Hydraulic engineering, Ocean engineering (401-506 Water supply engineering)
TD -- Environmental technology, Sanitary engineering (201-500 Water Supply, 419-428 Water pollution, 429.5-480-7 Water Conservation, 481-493 Water distribution systems)
Most Important Databases/Periodical Indexes
To my surprise, the Heath Reference Center Academic database rendered some of the most useful information for my topic. The more general ProQuest database proved quite useful as well.
Description of Search Strategy
Initially, Google Directory was helpful in helping me come up with a topic idea. Once I chose the broad subject of “water,” the Library of Congress Subject heading listing was very helpful in my initial attempts to come up with specific a sub-topic and it provided a useful list of search terms. The second most useful means was using the subject categories listed for the articles I found. The third most useful means was using the “suggested” search terms displayed with the database search results listings.
Best Reference Sources
Organizations
Global Water. 2007. GlobalWater.org. 19 Feb. 2008 <http://www.globalwater.org/index.htm>.
Global Water is an international, non-profit humanitarian organization focused on creating safe water supplies, sanitation facilities and related health programs for rural villagers in developing countries. It was founded by former U.S. Ambassador John McDonald and former White House Special Assistant Dr. Peter Bourne in response to a challenge by the United Nations at the World Conference on Water. The website content includes planned projects, completed projects, progress reports, trip reports, media releases, and information on where to make donations toward their on-going projects. The most useful information for my research is their Rural Outreach Water Supply Program (ROWS) which is their model for distribution of water and sanitation solutions. This addresses the distribution aspect of my research outline.
Contact Info:
Global Water
Project Management Office
3600 S. Harbor Blvd., # 514
Oxnard, CA 93035 USA
Phone: (805) 985-3057
Fax: (805) 985-3688
info@globalwater.org
Health Education To Villages. 19 Sep. 2007. Rehydration Project. 19 Feb. 2008 <http://hetv.org/>.
HETV, a private, non-profit development group, is devoted to improving health education, including water safety, in underdeveloped countries. They work within the existing health framework already established in their target areas, partnering with national and state governments. This organization is a good source for statistical information as well as a source of information for a variety of projects currently addressing water and health issues.
Contact Info:
Health Education to Villages
P.O. Box No. 1
Cavelossim, Goa, 403731
India
Phone: +91 832 274 5151
Statistical Source
Downs, Timothy J., and I. H. Suffet. “Sanitation in Developing Countries.” Encyclopedia of Public Health. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2002.
Downs is a professor of environmental science and policy at Clark University and Suffet is a professor of environmental health sciences at UCLA. This article provides statistics on the top 20 water-related diseases including the name of the disease, the regions affected by it, the number of cases per year, and the number of deaths per year (worldwide). The authors support the notion that sanitation and water issues are interrelated and that both problems need to be addressed together. This provides information for the framework and context of the overview portion of my research.
Encyclopedias
Nathanson, Jerry A. "Environmental Works." Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica. Seattle Central Community College Library. 4 Feb. 2008 <http://www.search.eb.com.ez.sccd.ctc.edu:2048/eb/article-72298>.
Nathanson is currently an associate professor at Union County College in Cranford, NJ, and he holds a Master of Science degree in Environmental Health Engineering. This article presents an introduction to the fundamentals of environmental works infrastructure with its main focus on the modern facilities and systems that provide communities with water supply, waste disposal, and pollution control services. It discusses the importance of municipal water supply, the historical background regarding the evolution of public water supply systems, the problems of global distribution of water resources, health concerns related to water quality issues, and a host of other water related details. Sub-topics are organized into sections with bold headings, and various video links and schematic illustrations are included throughout the article. There is an “Additional Reading” section at the end of the article, which contains an impressive list of other related articles. Since there are no citations, one would have to assume that the article is based upon the author’s first-hand knowledge. This article provides great foundational information regarding water sources, water quality, and municipal water systems.
Linden, Karl G., and Richard Hazen. “Water Treatment.” McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007.
Linden is a professor of environmental engineering at Duke University and Hazen is a former consulting engineer. This article explains the physical and chemical processes for making water suitable for human consumption including sedimentation, coag and flocculation, filtration, disinfection, granular activated carbon, pressure-driven membranes, and advanced treatment. This provides good overview information regarding purification methodology.
Best Books
Moss, Frank E. The Water Crisis. New York: Frederick A. Praeger Publishers, 1967.
Moss is a former United States Senator from Utah and was a member of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs (which handled legislation regarding water research, planning, and conservation) and the Committee on Public Works (which handled water pollution control measures). This gave him an exceptional vantage point from which to view the rapidly growing water crisis. His perspective is more about political solutions rather than the practical grassroots solutions of some of the other articles and organizations. This book gives great breadth and depth regarding this issue and will provide a broad perspective for the background portion of my research.
Gleick, Peter H, et al. The World’s Water 2004-2005: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources. Washington: Island Press, 2004.
At the time of printing Gleick was president of the Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security. This book is a compilation of reports, articles, discussions, and statistical data regarding the world’s freshwater resources. It offers data and insights into water challenges facing the public, policymakers, and scientists. The intent of this publication is to create an informed public throughout the world regarding the water crisis. This book has a wealth of information that can contribute to various aspects of my research.
Description of Search Strategy
I found these and several other books through the Walla Walla Community College Walnet catalog. I chose the Frank Moss book because his perspective calls for a cooperative solution between all nations. I chose the Peter Gleick book because it is a compilation of information from various sources. Most of the other books I found were a bit narrower in scope.
Best Periodicals
Montgomery, Maggie A., and Menachem Elimelech. “Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries: Including Health in the Equation.” Environmental Science and Technology 41.1 (2007): 16-24. ProQuest Research Library. ProQuest. Seattle Central Community College Library. 19 Feb. 2008 <http://proquest.umi.com.ez.sccd.ctc.edu:2048/pqdweb?did=1210625301&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=79571&RQT=309&VName=PQD>.
This journal article presents the research findings of a doctoral student and professor of the Environmental Engineering Program at Yale University. It gives a well-documented, comprehensive presentation of the issues surrounding water, sanitation, and health problems. I am particularly interested in the section entitled, “ A Shift to Household Technologies.” The authors suggest that a relying on household water treatment and sanitation technologies may be the best solution for rural and peri-urban areas, and they present a supported analysis. An impressive list of references may also prove useful. The section regarding household water treatment supports my interest on these sorts of solutions.
"Water Filters That Work.(SPECTRUM)." Environment 49.4 (2007): 5-6. Health Reference Center Academic. Gale. Seattle Central Community College Library. 12 Feb. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com.ez.sccd.ctc.edu:2048/itx/start.do?prodId=HRCA>.
This is a scholarly journal featuring peer-reviewed articles on development and the environment geared toward an academic audience. This article provides study results from Professor Mark Sobsey (Environmental Sciences and Engineering, UNC School of Public Health) who, along with a team, spent four months in two villages near Banao, Dominican Republic monitoring 150 households lacking in filtered water and assessing rates of illness before and after bio-filters were installed. The study shows that sand filters are effective in improving health and provides an answer to my topic question.
Bartram, Jamie, et al. "Focusing on Improved Water and Sanitation for Health." The Lancet 365.9461 (2005): 810. Health Reference Center Academic. Gale. Seattle Central Community College Library. 12 Feb. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com.ez.sccd.ctc.edu:2048/itx/start.do?prodId=HRCA>.
Authors Lenton and Wright are coordinators of the UN Millennium Project Task Force on Water and Sanitation, Lewis is a senior policy adviser and manager, Bartram is a permanent observer on the task force for the World Health Organization and UN-Water. This article outlines the global water crisis and gives statistics regarding the health effects of poor water sanitation. Particularly interesting, is the statement that “expanding safe drinking water and sanitation coverage is not complex; it requires neither colossal sums of money nor scientific breakthroughs and technological advances.” This addresses my question regarding whether or not there are insurmountable economic barriers to mass distribution of water purification systems . A list of references includes other articles that could also prove useful.
Frankish, Helen. "Water-treatment System Offers Hope of Clean Water. (Medicine and Health Policy)." The Lancet 361.9376 (2003): 2213. Health Reference Center Academic. Gale. Seattle Central Community College Library. 12 Feb. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com.ez.sccd.ctc.edu:2048/itx/start.do?prodId=HRCA>.
This weekly peer-reviewed medical journal covers medicine and health worldwide, publishes original research, reviews articles, and provides opinion and commentary for professional audiences. The highlight of this article is the mention of a new “point-of-use” water-treatment system developed by Proctor and Gamble called PuR Water Purifier. It gives limited information, but peaks my curiosity for further investigation of this method.
MacDonald, Rhona. "Water, Water Everywhere: Rhona MacDonald Explains Why There Is Still Not a Clean Drop To Drink For a Large Proportion of the World's Population." Editorial Student BMJ (April 2003): 88-89. Health Reference Center Academic. Gale. Seattle Central Community College Library. 12 Feb. 2008 <http://find.galegroup.com.ez.sccd.ctc.edu:2048/itx/start.do?prodId=HRCA>.
MacDonald is the senior editor for the Student British Medical Journal. In this editorial, she draws upon the works of several field experts and articles from the World Health Organization. This article is particularly interesting because she gives good, concise summaries of the four main barriers to providing clean water globally – the four barriers being political, economic, natural, and social. Contrary to some experts, this author believes that providing the world with clean water is not a straightforward challenge. This article provides an interesting viewpoint and is useful for foundational information.
Description of Search Strategy
All of my selected articles were found by using the ProQuest and Health Reference Center Academic databases. Though ProQuest rendered many good results, I chose only one to include in my “best periodicals” list. To my surprise, the Health Reference Center turned out to be the most useful database. By far, it rendered the best results. I have included more than the required number of periodicals because the ones I chose from the Health Reference Center database are all excellent resources.
Best Internet Sources
PlayPumps International. 2008. PlayPumps.org. 21 Jan. 2008 <http://www.playpumps.org/>.
PlayPumps International is a non-profit humanitarian aid organization focused on providing a sustainable, free supply of clean drinking water throughout Africa. More than 1000 PlayPump systems have been donated to communities in South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, and Zambia. This addresses the “solutions” portion of my research.
“Water: Turn on the Tap.” Samaritan’s Purse Canada. 21 Jan. 2008 <http://www.samaritanspurse.ca/ourwork/water>.
Samaritan’s Purse is a non-profit, non-denominational, Christian humanitarian aid organization. “Turn on the Tap” is their bio-sand water filter solution for providing communities access to safe drinking water. The have installed more than 70,000 in homes, communities, schools, and clinics throughout the world. This addresses the “solutions” portion of my research.
Best Non-Print Sources
“Water Pump.” Historica Minute. DVD Historica Foundation of Canada, 2005.
This short one-minute video highlights a water pump project engineered by researchers at the University of Waterloo, Canada. It is their solution for bringing clean water to developing countries. This pump is simple, lightweight, corrosion resistant, made of readily available materials, and is inexpensive. The film is intended as a public awareness campaign to prompt its Canadian audience to think about potable water issues in the developing world. It is a well-done, professional quality video. This addresses the question of what is being done to solve the problem of clean water distribution.
Review of My Research Process
To me, research is somewhat like being a detective or treasure hunter. You investigate, follow your clues and leads, check out your sources, determine what holds true and what doesn’t, then put it all together to find what you are looking for. Research takes a lot of work, and it must be done right to be of any value. In the end, it is satisfying and edifying.
I discovered there is a world full of good, scholarly information on the internet. Much of it must be accessed through an electronic library database rather than through general Google-type search engines. Many of the reference materials, periodicals, and journals that once were available only in print, are now digitized and accessible electronically. For example, initially I visited the Walla Walla Community College library to look at both general and specialized encyclopedias. I found good information in both types. Later, I discovered the very same articles were available in online versions of those encyclopedias. I also found a DVD with a short video on water pumps designed by Waterloo University. Later I found it on the internet. So, did I really ever need to leave the comfort of my own home? I did find a few relevant books at the library that are not available electronically. But, in all honesty, none of them provided unique information or a unique perspective that I could not get from some other on-line resource. Therefore, in regards to my topic, I would have to say that using solely the internet for my research was quite adequate. However, I do not believe this to be true for all research topics.
My strategy in this process was to find information that addresses the “bigger picture” of the global water crisis as well as to find information regarding specific solutions in specific places that help solve this problem. I used advanced search options to narrow down the results to more relevant information. I expected .org websites to be my greatest resource. I was surprised to find several encyclopedia articles that provided good overview information, and more surprised to find that journal articles proved to be the best resource. There is much information for my topic focus that comes from university studies and research projects. Within the journal resources, I was even more surprised that medical journals provided some of the best information I found. Generally, the book resources provide a longer-term perspective, but I was primarily interested in more current information.
I found that for larger urban areas the factors and solutions are more complicated due to the scale and magnitude of it all. In contrast, it seems that there are many success stories in more rural areas. I found that many university teams, environmental engineers, and humanitarian aid organizations have made significant strides in solving the issue of both sanitation and water purification for various people groups around the world. There are various low-cost methods of providing simple water systems that service either entire villages, or individual homes within a village.
My perspective (and perhaps my bias) on this issue is that it is important to get beyond the, “We’ve got a huge problem that is next to impossible to solve without worldwide cooperation of all governments, industries, businesses, economies, and people everywhere,” way of thinking, and instead to begin seeing that, “We all can help make a difference if we work together in small groups to make it happen one little bit at a time.”
2 comments:
The author has successfully documented and described information sources, giving systematic annotations that are informative as well as using proper citations on all of her sources. Her introduction to the topic is that water is a vital resource and is becoming harder for some people to have as it is “…not always distributed adequately…” and it is sometimes not good water to drink due to varying factors-a large one being the sanitation of water-which the Pathfinder focuses on and that is the solutions and alternative ways water can be cleaned and made more available to people throughout the world.
The author did an overall great job and the entire Pathfinder was correctly done and seemed to exceed what was needed and required for the assignment, the author clearly was passionate about their research topic and the resources she yielded.
The annotations give a clear sense of the authority of the authors as well as the content and currency are the information she acquired.
The authors sources address the topic but I don’t know whether they are from varying points of view some of the articles and resources are from previous senators, others college student and even from encyclopedia’s-all with the same discussion and that is different ways of sanitizing water and making it drinkable.
There doesn’t seem to be anything missing from this Pathfinder, it could and should be used as an example for future quarters, great job!
Email response from instructor Meryl Geffner...
Hi Jana Lu:
Excellent work; perfect, actually. Good luck with the MLIS program at UW. Feel free to email me if you need any advice.
Meryl
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