Backed household water treatment technologies — ceramic filters, chlorination, and safe storage for rural communities

The Gates Foundation invested in scaling household water treatment technologies — ceramic pot filters, chlorine tablets, solar disinfection, and safe-storage containers — for rural communities that lack access to piped water infrastructure. These point-of-use technologies allow families to treat water at home, dramatically reducing waterborne disease. Studies backed by Foundation funding found that consistent household water treatment reduced diarrheal disease by 25-50% in treated households. The Foundation partnered with population services international and other organizations to subsidize and distribute the technologies to the lowest-income households.