A RANDOMISED FIELD EXPERIMENT TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF A BEHAVIOURAL INTERVENTION ON THE WATER STORAGE PRACTICES OF HOUSEHOLDS IN GRABOUW, WESTERN CAPE

Despite substantial progress in expanding access to improved water sources in South Africa, many households in informal settlements continue to face unreliable water supply and depend on storing water for domestic use. In these settings, unsafe water storage and inadequate hygiene practices remain important contributors to waterborne disease, particularly diarrhoeal illness. While infrastructure investments are essential, there is growing interest in whether low-cost behavioural interventions can complement supply-side improvements and reduce health risks where infrastructure constraints persist. This project responds to these challenges by evaluating a locally co-designed behavioural intervention aimed at improving household hygiene and water storage practices in two informal settlements – Siyanyanzela and Khotsong – located near Grabouw in the Western Cape.