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Global Health Econ Sustain Global South: Healthier lives with UVC

more immediate capacity, eliminating the need for manual clean water sources, inadequate sanitation infrastructure,
system changes in these scenarios. and poor water treatment systems. Conventional
methods to combat these diseases have drawbacks,
5.2.1. Water quality monitoring necessitating alternative water disinfection strategies like

As noted throughout our comprehensive review, water UVC LEDs. UVC LED technology represents a powerful
bodies, particularly surface waters, are vulnerable to and promising solution in the prevention and control
microbial contamination from natural sources and human of waterborne diseases, especially in the Global South,
activities (Pandey et al., 2014). Inadequate management where waterborne diseases are prevalent. Its ability to
of wastewater, leaking septic tanks, and stormwater effectively inactivate pathogens in water sources offers
runoff are significant contributors to polluted drinking a transformative approach to improving public health
water (Amarasinghe & Sharma, n.d.; Chakraborti et al., outcomes and elevating the quality of life for vulnerable
2019; Muralikrishna & Manickam, 2017; Patterson & populations. Additionally, UVC LED technology aligns
Haught, 2021). While the implementation of point-of-use with the United Nations’ SDGs, as it promotes universal
UVC water disinfection systems in the Global South is a access to improved WASH conditions and contributes
necessary first step towards reliable, clean water in these to a healthier, more sustainable future. However, to
communities, it is imperative that future sustainability fully harness the potential of UVC LED technology, it is
efforts consider water quality monitoring systems. essential to establish regulatory frameworks that consider
Advanced water quality monitoring systems do not local needs, sustainability, and affordability. Further
integrate UVC disinfection technology, like those we have research and development efforts should also be directed
recommended for areas of the Global South struggling toward optimizing efficiency, enhancing LED technology,
with access to clean water; however, they are pivotal in and integrating smart systems for improved performance
alerting populations about potential contamination events, and ease of use, especially in regions of the world that need
safeguarding public health, and decreasing the economic improved sanitation infrastructure.
impact of a full-system contamination event (Piazza et al.,
2019; 2023; Weickgenannt et al., 2012). Acknowledgments
Technological advancements and predictive modeling The authors would like to thank Britt Hafner and Patrick
systems allow for real-time water monitoring that detects Aigeldinger for technical assistance.
contaminants in previously clean water distribution
systems and triggers timely alerts when contamination Funding
reaches unacceptable thresholds (Piazza et al., 2019; Pras & None.
Mamane, 2023; Weickgenannt et al., 2012). In global regions
where existing water disinfection systems are reliable and Conflict of interest
provide consistently clean water to their communities, Jamie M. Reedy, Dana Pousty, Beldeen W. Waliaula,
these contamination early warning systems have been Josephat Maniga, and Hadas Mamanedeclare no conflict of

effective at detecting and disrupting single entry point interest. Richard M. Mariita receives a salary from Crystal
contamination events (e.g., Enna, Italy and Zandvoort, IS Inc., an Asahi Kasei Company, New York, United States
the Netherlands) (Piazza et al., 2019). Unfortunately, in of America that manufactures UVC-LEDs.
rural and remote regions, like those of the Global South,
advanced technology water quality monitoring systems Author contributions
may not be feasible or practical due to the lack of existing Conceptualization: Jamie M. Reedy, Richard M. Mariita
infrastructure, limited access to technology, prohibitive cost Writing— original draft: All authors
of the monitoring equipment and tests, and limited skilled- Writing—review & editing: All authors
workforce capacity. As an alternative to the low feasibility of
advanced technology water monitoring systems, nowcasting Ethics approval and consent to participate
models use low-cost, basic parameters with demonstrable
effectiveness in rural regions that can be scaled up for more Not applicable.
extensive distribution networks as the disinfection systems Consent for publication
are introduced (Pras & Mamane, 2023).
Not applicable.
6. Conclusion

Waterborne diseases pose a significant public health Availability of data
challenge in the Global South due to limited access to Not applicable.

Volume 2 Issue 1 (2024) 15 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.1984