STRENGTHENING HOUSEHOLD WATER PRETREATMENT SKILLS THROUGH SABERSIH TECHNOLOGY

Households in flood-prone areas need accessible water treatment options and information about their limitations. This community service program introduced SABERSIH, a gravity-fed bucket filter made from locally available materials, to 30 residents of Teluk Selong Ulu Village, Banjar Regency, in July–August 2025. Activities included needs discussions, educational sessions, demonstrations, and hands-on assembly practice in six groups. Evaluation employed a 15-item knowledge test, an eight-criterion skills checklist, a perception questionnaire, and analysis of one river water sample before and after filtration. The reported mean knowledge score increased from 61.3 to 85.7, a gain of 24.4 points; 26 participants (86.7%) met the assembly criteria. Turbidity decreased from 156.4 to 18.7 NTU, accompanied by reductions in color, iron, total dissolved solids, and total coliforms. Residual coliforms and turbidity indicated that filtration alone had not demonstrated the safety of the water for drinking. Twenty-seven participants (90%) expressed willingness to build the filter, although household adoption had not been monitored. These findings represent preliminary outcomes, with limitations in instrument documentation and repeated testing. Technical clarification, verified additional treatment, and household monitoring are needed before wider implementation.