Aquaya is the advanced-technology lead for the AQUATEST project, an international consortium of 13 academic, private sector, and nonprofit organizations that is funded by the European Union to develop a low-cost water test that is optimized for use in resource-poor settings in developing countries and during emergencies.

Current water quality diagnostics generally require trained personnel to carry out the testing and some laboratory facilities. The AQUATEST project seeks to improve upon these existing tests by incorporating advances in technology that are appropriate for the developing countries.

AQUATEST is a preparatory project focused on identifying all necessary criteria for a new low-cost water test and producing blueprints for the diagnostic technology. The test will assess microbiological water quality, rather than chemical water quality. Once a test specification has been drawn up, the AQUATEST team will implement the test specification in a follow-up project.

The AQUATEST team is currently conducting two specific activities that will influence the final design of the test: 1) a needs assessment to determine the requirements of developing countries and disaster response agencies for microbiological testing of drinking water; and 2) a technology analysis that will determine how current water tests as well as recent advances in microbial diagnostics will be incorporated into our test specifications. We estimate that an initial water testing system utilizing microbial culture based assays will be available in the next 2-4 years. We will also develop a "next-generation" test that incorporates molecular detection techniques. Our target for this next-generation test is within 5-10 years.

Near-term technologies
Culture-based detection of fecal contamination of water is slow (18-24 hours or more) and typically requires laboratory facilities to maintain constant incubation temperatures. Alternative culture methods, however, have already been adapted for field use in the absence of strict temperature control, specialized instrumentation, or sophisticated technical support. Novel indicator dyes for differentiating between bacterial species based on unique biochemical properties are also being developed. These innovations provide opportunities to rapidly build on existing platforms to produce a water quality diagnostic that utilizes existing microbial detection technologies and is designed for end-users in developing countries. Our goal is to develop a test that can be manufactured with a unit cost of $0.10, which will allow for widespread use in the developing world.

Next generation diagnostics
Additional methods for detecting microbes that include the analysis of nucleic acids and proteins — particularly those that are potentially indicative of infectivity, viability, or cultivability — are also available. We are evaluating these methods to determine if they are applicable to the detection of low levels of fecal indicator microbes or pathogens in water in developing countries. A specific question is whether these technologies work in the presence of high levels of other non-target microbes as well as chemical and physical materials that may interfere with the detection method? Next generation diagnostics will ideally offer faster results at lower cost, with reduced field-incubation requirements.

Information management
An important objective of the AQUATEST project is to determine the potential of developing diagnostics that will allow communities to test their own water instead of relying on researchers or other professionals. Linked to self-testing is the ability to collect data and transmit water quality information to public health and water authorities. The AQUATEST project will explore the use of a cell-phone based system for this purpose.

Regulation
Many national guidelines and regulations for monitoring drinking water quality are based on existing microbial detection tests and recommended indicator species. Achieving efficient dissemination and adoption of new methodologies will require coordinated and effective educational efforts.