Water Scarcity in a Mumbai Slum: Effects on Women's Health and Hygiene

Background: Over half of Mumbai residents live in slums, where reliable access to hygienic water and improved sanitation is limited. The burden of collecting water falls primarily on women and girls, is time-consuming and results in missed educational and economic opportunities. This study explored the role of access to clean water and sanitation in one Mumbai slum.

Methods: Researchers conducted a secondary analysis of 66 interview transcripts. Interviewers had asked women living in a Mumbai slum open-ended questions about daily routines and family life. Researchers examined water-related themes by coding and analyzing transcripts using Atlas.ti.

Results: Initial results indicate that women spend an enormous amount of time collecting water and engaged in water-related household and personal hygiene activities. The uncertainty surrounding the availability of water is a primary concern. Unexpected themes emerged such as the importance of water for religious customs such as ritual cleansing. The expectation that women wash themselves and their bedding after intercourse affected sexual practices and in some cases compromised their personal safety.

Discussion: Access to clean water and improved sanitation are fundamental pillars of maternal and child health. The considerable time spent on water-related duties and hygiene prevents women from engaging in paid work and thus improving the family's economic status and health. indings about the effect of water on women's sexual practices were surprising and warrant further investigation. Future maternal health interventions promoting prevention and wellness across the lifespan in Mumbai slums must take into consideration both women's water duties and their water needs.