NCT07317167

Evaluating a Water Safety Plan Intervention in Ghana

• Status: Enrolling By Invitation
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 4,500 (estimated)
• Sponsor: The Aquaya Institute · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of water safety plans (WSPs) in rural Ghana. The investigators aim to evaluate the effects of WSPs on water supply system infrastructure, water availability and reliability, water quality, consumer perceptions, water service provider management and financial sustainability, climate resilience, equity, and consumer health.

Detailed description

Much of the global population is exposed to contaminated drinking water. In piped systems, it is often easier to mitigate at the water supplier level where it can be centrally managed. A water safety plan (WSP) is a holistic tool for proactively ensuring the safety of drinking water supplies from source to tap, and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends this systematic risk assessment and preventive management approach for water systems. While application of WSPs has spread, systematic evidence for their implementation and effectiveness in improving water quality and health is limited, particularly in low-resource settings. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of WSPs on water supply system infrastructure, water availability and reliability, water quality, consumer perceptions, water service provider management and financial sustainability, climate resilience, equity, and consumer health. The investigators will use a randomized controlled trial across 92 piped water supply systems serving small towns and rural areas in Ghana to test the effectiveness of WSPs. The investigators will collect data at baseline before the intervention is implemented, and at endline approximately 2 years after implementation begins. The investigators will also conduct a process evaluation of the WSP implementation quality.

Conditions

• Water Quality
• Water Treatment
• Diarrhea

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Water Safety Plans	Water safety plans will be implemented at the water system level as a holistic tool for ensuring the safety of drinking water supplies from source to tap. World Health Organization guidance will be followed for implementation and recommended water safety planning steps will be followed such as assembling a WSP Team, describing the water supply, hazard identification and risk assessment, developing and implementing an incremental improvement plan, monitoring control measures to verify the effectiveness of the WSP, and continuously documenting, reviewing, and improving WSP implementation.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-03-13
• Primary completion: 2026-02-01
• Completion: 2026-02-01
• First posted: 2026-01-05
• Last updated: 2026-01-05

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Ghana