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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aman Tirta introduces an innovative water treatment product
Supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) a new public-private partnership an agreement was signed today to increase access to safe drinking water. Because simple and affordable solutions exist to increase access to potable water, the newly formed Aman Tirta Partnership is introducing Air RahMat, an affordable, safe, and easy-to-use water treatment product that can be used in the home without boiling the water before drinking. Air RaHMat, which stands for muRAH, Mudah, and sehAT , is a liquid 1.25% sodium hypochlorite solution. When the appropriate amount is added to water (3 milliliters to every 20 liters of water), then shaken or stirred, the water is ready to drink after 30 minutes. If used correctly in conjunction with proper storage, Air RahMat can reduce the risk of diarrhea by more than 50%, thus helping to ensure better health for families. Air RahMat will be sold in 100 milliliter bottles, enough to treat more than 600 liters of water and more than enough to provide a family with drinking water for a month. At Rp 4,000 (about 40 cents in U.S. dollars) a bottle, it is an extremely affordable product to get safe drinking water in Indonesian households. Aman Tirta is comprised of the following organizations from both the public and private sectors: PT Tanshia Consumer Products, PT Dos ni Roha, LOWE Worldwide, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/Center for Communication Programs (CCP), and CARE Indonesia. Together they will produce, distribute and market Air RahMat The price hike of kerosene several months ago has affected the regular expenditures of a group of women living close to Ciliwung river, who are active in “Sekolah Perempuan Ciliwung” school for women. The price hike has made it more difficult for them to make ends meet. Through there participation in the “Sekolah Prempuan Ciliwung” they have been dialoging about common problems they arte experiencing and looking for solutions they can implement themselves. They have been using the Air RahMat product and have found it effective and economical. After trying it for a couple of weeks, Ibu Nursiah said, “ I usually have to buy kerosene every 2 days, now after using this Air RahMat I do not have to boil my drinking water and my kerosene can last for 5 days, and my family stay healthy”. Increasing access to safe water has provided women like Ibu Nursiah an added tool to provide health for the family and helping to provide added financial savings that benefit the whole family. Air RahMat was developed after more than 10 years of research. Indonesia is one of more than 25 countries currently using a similar water treatment product. It will be introduced to the commercial market in January 2006. For more information, please contact: |
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JAKARTA, 15 December 2005 — In Indonesia, a country where 100 million people lack access to safe drinking water, 70 percent rely on water from possibly contaminated sources, and unsafe drinking water is a leading cause of diarrheal disease which is the second-leading killer of children under five years old. 
© 2005 The Johns Hopkins University. All rights reserved.