Published Paper Details:

The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India brought unprecedented challenges to the public health system. Ensuring access to safe drinking water became critically important during the pandemic due to increased health risks. The rural population was particularly vulnerable to infection due to the consumption of contaminated water sources. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of household water filtration systems used during this period. Water quality testing and household surveys were conducted across three rural districts in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh (UP), and Madhya Pradesh (MP). A total of 500 households were randomly selected to represent users of different filtration technologies. Water samples were analyzed for key parameters including total coliforms, Escherichia coli, turbidity, pH, and residual chlorine, in accordance with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). This mixed-method approach enabled both statistical and contextual interpretation of household filtration performance. The highest E. coli removal was observed in boiling and reverse osmosis (RO) systems. UV-based purifiers demonstrated variable performance, with efficacy ranging from 85% to 92%. Ceramic and cloth filters showed moderate to low performance. The study found a clear correlation between the use of highly effective filtration systems and lower reported cases of gastrointestinal illness. These results suggest that proper household water treatment practices can significantly reduce health risks during public health emergencies. This research emphasizes the importance of household-level water treatment during crises and highlights the need for targeted policy interventions to promote affordable and effective water purification technologies in rural India. The findings offer valuable insights for disaster preparedness planning. Future resilience models must incorporate water safety, public health priorities, and social equity considerations.