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244 CHAPTER 10 ■ “Safe Water Saves Lives”

key lessons learned that were detailed in the report that apply to the Madagascar
Sûr’Eau program include:

• Project design. The identification of appropriate target groups, technical
expertise, and long-term funding are essential to the design of safe water
programs.
• Production of safe water product components. Local production, product
chlorine dosage and shelf life, and quality monitoring present challenges
but are critical to cost-effectiveness and sustainability.
• Regulatory environment. Early government involvement and immediate
response to concerns strengthen government support.
• Marketing and communications. Marketing communications should
specifically address behavioral constructs and be positive and aspirational,
complementary to existing efforts, highly context specific, and sustained
long term to be successful.
• Creating partnerships. Successful partnerships with government, NGOs, and
the private sector strengthen the program and increase the likelihood of
success. They also provide unique opportunities to reach rural and high-
risk populations.
• Sales and distribution. The commercial sector can be an efficient distribu-
tion channel for home water treatment products while encouraging entry
of other commercial parties. To ensure access to the target audience,
additional channels, including NGO networks, can improve rural reach.
• Product costs, pricing, and cost recovery. Product costs may be recovered, but
prices must be affordable to target consumers.
• Integrating safe water into HIV/AIDS programming. SWS for People Living
with HIV\AIDS (PLWHAs) in partnership with local NGOs is a successful
model to reach this vulnerable population.
The report concluded:
Household-level point-of-use water treatment has been shown to significantly re-
duce diarrheal diseases in vulnerable populations and should become an essential
intervention within child survival, HIV/AIDS, and water supply programs. While
challenges remain, such as ensuring consistent product use and program financial
sustainability, the key elements in implementing household water treatment pro-
grams using safe water solutions are now quite well understood. These and other
evidence-based POU [point-of-use] water treatment programs should be scaled
up and expanded throughout the developing world, filling a critical public health
gap in drinking water quality. (POUZN, 2007)
Last but by no means the least, the design, implementation, monitoring,
and evaluation of social marketing projects in developing countries pose unique