New Delhi, March 12 -- Developing countries, particularly in South Asia, are characterized by having a major portion of their population living in rural areas. The quality of drinking water in these areas, and especially rural schools in these countries, is very poor. Data suggests that not only is there a paucity of water but the drinking water available in schools has high coliform loading and contain high amount of dangerous chemicals such as arsenic and nitrates which can cause thyroid problems, cancer, skin and kidney diseases among many others.

Drinking contaminated water with high coliform loading is hazardous and creates intestinal infections in children which results in their poor health because of diarrhea, typhoid, cholera, he...