Association Between Current Household Water Quality Practices and Incidences of Diarrhea Quasi -Experimental Study in Lac vert and Mugunga – DRC

Access to safe drinking water remains a critical public health challenge in low-resource and conflict-affected settings. This study evaluated the effect of household hygiene training on water quality and the reduction of diarrhea incidences among households in Goma Town, Democratic Republic of Congo, this study determined the household water hygiene practices for drinking water in Lac Vert and Mugunga. identify the association between current household water quality practices and incidences of diarrhea in Lac Vert and Mugunga. A quasi-experimental design was applied in two zones: Lac Vert (intervention) and Mugunga (control). Data were collected in two phases before and after the intervention using structured questionnaires, and microbiological water analysis. A total of 360 households participated, and data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics at a 95% confidence level. Before the intervention, most households in both zones exhibited poor hygiene practices, including unsafe water storage (p =0.033), irregular cleaning of containers (p =0.147), and minimal water treatment (p =0.005). Laboratory analyses revealed high levels of total coliforms and Escherichia coli in drinking water (p = 0.001), with Mugunga showing the highest contamination. Following the hygiene training intervention in Lac Vert, significant behavioral improvements were observed households increasingly treated water through boiling and filtration (p = 0.001), used covered containers, and practiced regular handwashing with soap (p =0.001). Correspondingly, the microbiological quality of water improved markedly, with a 99.9% reduction in bacterial load (Log Reduction Value = 3.0). Diarrheal incidence among children under five decreased substantially in Lac Vert during Phase II (p < 0.001), while Mugunga recorded no improvement. The study concludes that structured, participatory household hygiene training is effective in improving domestic water hygiene practices, enhancing microbiological water quality, and reducing diarrheal morbidity. It recommends the institutionalization of hygiene training within community health programs and the National Health Development Plan coupled with routine water quality monitoring and continuous behavioral reinforcement. The findings contribute new evidence from a fragile urban context, affirming that safe water and reduced disease burden depend not only on infrastructure but also on consistent and informed household practices.