Knowledge, Attitudes and Willingness to Pay for Ceramic Water Filters and Ecological Toilets in Trinidad, Bolivia Open Access

McDavid, Kelsey Jordan (2015)

Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/sq87bt83g?locale=en
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Abstract

Background Out of all countries in South America, Bolivia is ranked the lowest on the Human Development Index and is the only country with communities that continue to practice open defecation. It also has the least water and sanitation coverage. While appropriate water and sanitation technologies have been previously identified for the context of Trinidad, Bolivia, few programs have found ways to scale-up or demonstrate if demand exists. The purpose of this study was to determine if the residents of Trinidad, Bolivia, who experience extreme flooding without adequate sanitation, were willing to purchase ceramic water filters and ecological sanitation through a local microfinance institution, Pro Mujer.

Methods Demographic, socioeconomic, and perceptions of health data were collected at the household level in Trinidad, Bolivia in 2009. Participants were asked about water, hygiene, sanitation practices and willingness to pay for ceramic water filters and two types of ecological toilets.

Results Only 50% of those who reported having a bathroom allowed the surveyor to see it. Among all bathrooms observed, only 60% had toilets. More than 40% of homes that had a bathroom and more than 75% of those that did not have a bathroom at the time of the survey were interested in purchasing ecological toilets. Nearly 60% reported treating their water before drinking, and about 25% of respondents already had a ceramic water filter. Overall, 70% reported an interest in buying a ceramic filter. Lower income households reported higher willingness to pay for both ceramic filters and ecological toilets. Households with color televisions, mobile phones, radios and motorcycles reported greater willingness to pay for ceramic filters and ecological toilets compared to households that did not own these assets. Almost 80% of surveyed households stated they were prepared to solicit credit from the microfinance institution to purchase an ecological toilet despite the high price ($424.33- $636.50).

Conclusions These results indicate residents of Trinidad, Bolivia are willing to purchase ecological sanitation and ceramic water filters and are interested in using microcredit loans to purchase them. Future research should consider other survey techniques to examine willingness to pay for water treatment and sanitation and compare results to determine if the same results are found.

Table of Contents

Introduction...........................................1

Literature Review...................................4

Methods................................................20

Results..................................................25

Discussion............................................35

Conclusion...........................................42

Lessons Learned...................................43

Recommendations...............................44

References...........................................46

Figures.................................................50

Tables..................................................53

Appendix A..........................................63

Appendix B..........................................64

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