According to Twaweza East Africa Report, six out of ten households (57 per cent) treat their drinking water in some way before consuming it.
This is higher in rural areas (58 per cent) than in Nairobi (48 per cent) or other urban areas (55 per cent) – likely due to factors such as the relatively high use of bottled water in Nairobi.
Water treatment is also higher among better-educated households and those that depend on surface water sources.
It is lower, however, among households that depend on other unimproved sources.
The most common forms of water treatment are boiling the water (38 per cent) and use of chemical treatments (33 per cent).
The most common reason given for not treating water is a belief that it is already safe for drinking without need for treatment (31 per cent).
