Assessing the Water Quality Assurance Fund Program to Improve Water Safety Management in Rural Ghana and Kenya

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effects of a new financial and capacity strengthening intervention called the Water Quality Assurance Fund program on water safety management in rural areas of Ghana and Kenya. The study aims to improve water system operator knowledge, chlorination practices, and water quality at collection points. It also seeks to enhance consumer satisfaction, awareness, and willingness to pay for water that is tested and treated. The research will assess implementation challenges and factors that support expanding water testing services to small rural water suppliers. The intervention involves legal agreements between water systems, centralized laboratories, and the facilitating organization to provide regular water quality testing. Laboratories receive guaranteed payments to reduce financial risk if water systems delay payments. The program includes regular meetings with water operators and local authorities to discuss test results and treatment options, technical guidance when requested, and community engagement to inform residents about the program. The study has several arms, with some groups starting the intervention immediately, others delayed by 6 or 12 months, and a non-randomized group in Ghana starting one month earlier. Participants will be involved in household surveys and water quality testing at multiple time points baseline, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Assessments include measuring free chlorine residual and E. coli presence in water at collection points and in household stored water. Researchers will also evaluate water system operator knowledge, consumer awareness, satisfaction, and willingness to pay at baseline, 12, and 24 months. The study uses randomized allocation without masking and will run until September 30, 2025.

Evaluating a Water Quality Assurance Fund Intervention in Ghana and Kenya