Health Implications of Impure Water Consumption and the Implementation and Outcome Analysis of Water Filters in Puerto Penasco, Sonora

Consumption of clean, pathogen-free water is vital in maintaining health. The water infrastructure in Puerto Penasco, Sonora is not sufficient in providing clean water for its residents. Water in this region is being overdrafted, meaning it is distributed from deep wells faster than it can be regenerated, which prevents more wells from being constructed. There is a high need for a cost-efficient solution to the clean water shortage in this impoverished town. The purpose of this study was to determine: (1) how clean drinking water affects health, (2) how contaminated water and water substitutes, such as soda and juices, negatively impact health, and (3) the impact on water consumption by local residents after providing them with a portable filtration system to create clean drinking water in their own homes. Water filters were distributed in two trials to a convenience sample of 45 participants, 27 of whom were successfully contacted for a post-implementation survey. Out of the 27 participants who took the survey, 27% reported that they drank more water after receiving the filter than before, 40% reported drinking less soda after receiving the filter, 63% reported using their filter on a daily basis, 63% believed that drinking clean water is important for their health, and 74% thought that it was difficult for them to obtain clean drinking water before receiving the filter. Providing residents with a filtration system was effective in increasing water consumption and saving residents money on water but did not provide conclusive data, negating the use of soda as a water substitute. This was an effective small-scale solution to a much larger problem that may be beneficial in other similarly impoverished communities.