Evaluation of the Biosand Filter for Reducing Risks of Diarrheal Illness and Improving Drinking Water Quality in Communities of The Dominican Republic

University of North Carolina CB# 7431, McGavran-Greenberg Hall, Room 4114a Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7431 Phone: 919-966-7303; Mobile: 919-906-2740; FAX: 919-966-4711 Email: [email protected] or [email protected] Introduction Water is not only a basic need for life but also a human right according to the UN. Consumption of unsafe water causes gastrointestinal illnesses that kills more than 2 million people annually. However, developing safe, piped potable water supplies and systems is an important international health goal that will take decades to achieve. In the meantime, more than one billion people worldwide, including a large segment of the population of the Dominican Republic, remain without access to improved, safe water. There are pressing needs in the Dominican Republic and many other developing countries to improve such access and thereby reduce the global burden of waterborne disease.