:: WaterGuard Safe Water Solution

Product Description

WaterGuard is a bottled solution of liquid sodium hypochlorite, which when properly mixed, makes most water safe to drink. The product is in liquid form to ensure dosing flexibility and is sold in 200 millilitre bottles. One cap-full (3.5ml) effectively treats 10 litres of water for 24 hours - which means that the standard 20 litre Malawian ndowa (pail) can be treated for a day with two caps of the solution. Sodium hypochlorite is safe for consumption over long periods of use, and even if ingested undiluted, would cause no dangerous or lasting effects. The bottle's label provides pictorial directions for use. A 200ml bottle of WaterGuard retails for MK8.00 (US$0.07).

Primary Target

Anyone who stores drinking water at home, and is therefore susceptible to water-borne disease. PSI/Malawi is currently focussing on peri-urban communities, who are neither served by government chlorine distribution schemes in rural areas, nor have access to running water. The high population densities of peri-urban communities also increase drinking-water contamination in these areas.

History

• Launched in 2002 to combat the incidence of water-borne disease.
• With the launch, PSI/Malawi acquired additional warehouses and vehicles and hired sales representatives to exclusively market the WaterGuard product.
• Sales in 2003 totalled over 760,000 units, delivering over 323,000 person years of treated water.

Future

• PSI/Malawi is extending its WaterGuard marketing efforts from peri-urban to more rural areas.