"Every day, I'm reminded of the luxury of being able to turn on a tap and get clean water from it," Esther Shaylor, an Innovation Specialist at UNICEF's Supply Division, says in a press release.
"If tests can produce same-day results, UNICEF and partners can work with communities to find solutions to contamination and develop communications campaigns so that families learn how to keep water safe."
That's why UNICEF is working with water test manufacturers to develop a new generation of rapid water tests that could provide results in as little as eight hours.
Currently, tests for E.coli and other bacteria take up to 24 hours and require the use of bulky equipment that's hard to transport to remote areas, where testing is most needed.
With the new technology, tests for E.coli could be carried out in as little as eight hours.
"With a shorter timeframe, we can take faster action to treat water," Shaylor says.
"This will help to prevent serious illness and save lives, particularly among young children, who are the most vulnerable."
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