Get qualified help

ActSmall · Water is informational. For drinking-water treatment, water-quality concerns, medical questions, or any incident, ask qualified people in your community — not this site.

For drinking water

Common verified household-treatment categories — boiling, chlorination, ceramic or hollow-fibre filtration, solar disinfection (SODIS), and UV — address different risks and require correct application. Get instructions for your situation from one of these sources:

  • Your local public-health department, water utility, or environmental health office.
  • A community health worker, public-health nurse, or trained WASH practitioner.
  • WHO — Water safety and quality and the Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality.
  • CDC — Drinking water.

For more curated public sources see Resources.

If something goes wrong

If anyone has consumed unsafe water, been exposed to a contamination event, or is experiencing illness, contact qualified local help right away:

  • Your local emergency number (e.g. 112, 911, 999, 119, 000, or your country’s equivalent).
  • The nearest clinic or hospital.
  • A community health worker or trained first responder.
  • A poisons information centre — ask a clinician or local health office for the number in your region.

Make the call first. When you do, be ready to share who is affected, what was consumed, when, and what you have observed — but do not delay calling in order to gather information.

External organisations linked elsewhere on this site are independent third parties; ActSmall does not control their content. Always defer to qualified local help.