A number of study discovered that more than 70 percent of Indonesians have limited access to healthy drinking water due to incorrect ways in getting healthy drinking water and destitution. Putting off the fire while water has just been boiled and storing the water in an open container which might further contaminate the boiled water are examples of common habits in obtaining drinking water.

Poor people who are burdened by the price of kerosene to boil water are mostly not aware of other ways to get drinking water but boiling. Current technology has enabled several easy and inexpensive ways to obtain healthy potable water. Solar disinfection (SODIS), chlorination (Air RahMat) and ceramic filters are alternative ways to clean and healthy drinking water.

In cooperation with other USAID/BHS program, “Aman Tirta”, ESP conducts “Water Testing Day”, an activity that involves school children to promote various easy and inexpensive ways to get clean water. During the period of January-March 2006 ESP working sites such as East Java, West Sumatra, North Sumatra and West Java as well as DKI Jakarta will be exposed to this activity.

As part of “Multimedia Campaign” that communicates various issues related to the mission of ESP, “Water Testing Day” aims at disseminating information on obtaining clean and healthy potable water at home through mass media channel, so that the wider public especially the impoverished people will eventually learn more about different easy and economical ways to get clean and healthy drinking water. During the course of the campaign ESP also works with Municipal Water Company (PDAM), District Health Laboratory (Lab Kesehatan Daerah), District Health Office, District Education Office as well as different elementary schools.

Campaign objectives:
Disseminating main message;
Providing knowledge to teachers and schoold children about four easy ways to get healthy drinking water at home and simple methods to test the water.

Communications target:
Vulnerable communities
Teacher, school children, parents

Main message:
“It turns out that there are many ways to get healthy drinking water.”