Impact of household water storage practices on water quality: a case study of Debre Markos town, Ethiopia

ABSTRACT Despite growing efforts to expand access to safe water, there is limited evidence on how household water storage practices affect microbial contamination in semi-urban areas of Ethiopia. This study addresses this gap by assessing water quality and storage behavior in Debre Markos town, where intermittent water supply influences household practices. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2024. Using stratified random sampling, 384 households were surveyed, and 58 stored water samples were collected for microbial and physicochemical analysis. Samples were drawn at four intervals 1, 3, 7, and 14 days, resulting in 232 water samples analyzed. The study found a significant increase in total coliform counts in stored water over time, with the highest contamination levels observed in metal tanks especially, by the end of the 14-day storage period. Unsafe water handling, poor container hygiene, and lack of treatment were major contributors to contamination. Limited awareness of safe storage and weak public health outreach were also noted. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted community-based interventions such as health education, improved monitoring, and collaboration between health offices and local leaders. Strengthening household water management is essential to reduce waterborne disease risk in similar resource-limited urban settings.