Household consumption of purified water in the urban area of Tela, Atlántida, Honduras

Abstract

The study focused on the supply and demand of purified water in the urban area of the city of Tela through a review and analysis of information from the companies, the application of an instrument in the neighborhoods and colonies, and a basic economic analysis that estimates the annual cost of consuming purified water. The methodology included an office phase in which the research and the instrument for data collection were designed; in the field phase, the instrument was applied virtually to 412 people. The results show that there are seven companies dedicated to the sale of purified water; the market is dominated by Agua Purificada Tela and Agua La Roca. Some 95% percent of households consume purified water in bottles; the main use is for drinking and cooking. Water is purchased from delivery trucks and consumers inform themselves through social networks. The economic analysis shows that eight bottles of purified water are consumed per month at an average price of 25 lempiras. Each year, the population of the urban area of the city of Tela spends 30,426,600 lempiras (US$1,261,468) on purified water consumption.