I’m back to reading journals. Nature News has a report of the anti-bacterial properties of brass jugs: brass jugs polish off disease. Apparently, the copper in the brass jugs leaches into the water, and interferes with the membranes of E. coli (tested in dilute cultures and naturally contaminated water). Within 48 hours, the bacteria levels are undetectable. A quick Pubmed search pulled up a 2004 paper by Brick et al., the abstract of which states similar anti-bacterial properties of brass.

My question is: can those who need clean water the most afford brass jugs? Or have the capability to store water for 2 days? The reason most of the poor in the Third World use plastic jugs is because they’re cheap and more readily available. Which is more economically feasible: more safe wells, ceramic water filters, or brass jugs? More to the point, which can Oxfam get to them?

The post title is my sad attempt at a tabloid headline.