In the USA, chlorine began to be widely used as a disinfectant in the early 1900s, and it is credited with playing a key role in increasing American life expectancy from 45 in the early 1900s to about 76 years at present, an increase of 50%. No more cholera, typhoid fever, and dysentery. Today, 98% of all drinking water purification in the USA uses chlorine. Very useful stuff to have around. So what about its use in developing countries?
The problem is that in many developing countries, chlorine is imported, rather than produced locally. This leads to a much higher price, as transportation and storage add to the costs. In remote areas, the delivery chain can easily fall apart, preventing this life-saving substance from reaching the people who need it most. [[Image:Tinkisso team holding Wata Standard.png|thumb|right|200px| Employees from [https://www.antenna.ch/en/water-hygiene/guinea/ Tinkisso-Antenna] produce sodium hypochlorite using the WATA-Standard (pictured) and sold under the brand name Chlor'C throughout Guinea. Photo: Antenna Technologies.]]
[[Image===Empowering communities to produce their own water disinfectant===The good news:wata-mamauzimachlorine is really, really easy to produce.jpg|thumb|right|200px| Health Education agents from One device (there are more) that accomplishes this is the WATA® developed by the [http://wwwSwiss organization Antenna Foundation.antennaA container with a WATA® device is filled with brine is filled with brine, an electrical current is run through the brine for a certain amount of time, and voilà.ch/en/research/safe-water/drc Mama Uzima programme] in (For the technically inclined, the current turns sodium chloride into sodium hypochlorite). One litre of the Democratic Republic resulting solution is enough to disinfect 4,000 litres of Congo producedrinking water. The solution is bottled and sold by local entrepreneurs, promote and sell chlorine. Photo: Antenna Technologiesdistributed in retailer shops, or sold usually by women.]]
====A $40 chlorine factory====The good newsChlorine also comes with its own safety system: if your nose tells you there is too much chlorine is reallyin the water, really easy to produce. One device (there are more) that accomplishes this probably is the WATAsol, developed by the Swiss organization [http://www.antenna.ch/en/ Antenna Technologies]. A container The strong smell from water with two electrodes is filled with brine, an electrical current is run through too much chlorine will probably put you off drinking it long before the brine for a certain amount of time, and voilàconcentration actually becomes dangerous. (For more information about the technically inclined, the current turns advantages and disadvantages of disinfecting water with sodium chloride into sodium hypocloride). One litre of the resulting solution is enough to disinfect 4hypochlorite,000 litres of drinking water. The solution is bottled and sold by local entrepreneurschlorine in general, usually womensee the Akvopedia articles referenced below.
Chlorine also comes with its own safety system: if your nose tells you there is too much chlorine Although other methods of disinfection such as using ozone and UV-light treatment might win out in the long run for waterdisinfection, there probably chlorine remain an important technique for treating water in countries around the world. Chlorine isalso useful for disinfecting institutions large and small, such as health facilities, prisons and schools. The smell should be barely noticeable; Many facilities in some low-income regions in the laboratory world lack access to the quality disinfectants needed to ensure high hygiene standards. A reliable supply of cheap chlorine, such as that enabled by the WATA® devices, can help staff at these institutions prevent the spread of illness, in our nose is very sensitiveaddition to treating drinking water. The strong smell from water with too much All of this underscores the important role chlorine will probably put you off drinking it long before play in promoting public health in many regions for the concentration actually becomes dangerousforeseeable future.
Although other methods of disinfection such as using ozone and UV-light treatment might win out in the end, chlorine will play a very important role in treating drinking water for a long time to come. In developing countries, it holds great promise for saving lives.
===Additional links:===
*[[Akvo water solution of the week|Other blogs in this series]]
*[http://www.antenna.ch/en/research/safe-water WATAsol of Antenna TechnologiesFoundation's approach to ensuring access to sanitation and clean drinking water]*[[WATAsol|Akvopedia article on WATAsolthe WATA® range of devices]]
*Articles on [[Chlorine_%28Sodium_Hypochlorite%29|Chlorine solutions]] and [[Chlorine_%28NaDCC%29| Chlorine tablets]]
