Water and Health Research Centre

The research done by the centre deals with the relationship between water and human health. No other advancement in the field of medicine and health have attributed more to increased lifespan and improved general health than access to safe water and improved domestic hygiene and sanitation.

Access to and availability of good quality water are the key aspects of safe water, and supported by sanitation and domestic hygiene, forms a cornerstone of improved public health. It is therefore vital to understand this relationship. The Water and Health Research Unit researches the environmental health impact of inadequate or improved services related to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Southern Africa.

This approach supports the national priority of significantly reducing the impact of water-borne disease in the region. Target constituencies for research by the Unit therefore include government agents and service providers as well as members of communities – especially the rural and the poor.

Contact Person:

Dr TG Barnard
Director: Water and Health Research Centre

Faculty of Health Sciences

2112, John Orr, DFC

Tel +27 (0) 11 559 6342

Fax +27 (0)11 559 6329​