Description of Invention
Severe threats from climate change, pollution, and overpopulation on freshwater sources are causing water shortages to occur more frequently and affecting many. As an uninterrupted supply of clean and safe water is crucial for personal hygiene performance, water shortages further exacerbate the propagation of communicable, and often life-threatening, diseases. Melaka, a water-stressed State in Malaysia, had to impose a two-month water rationing exercise amid the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. This study examined the impact of water rationing on the State's residents personal hygiene practices during the pandemic. It also analysed the effect of external water collection activity during rationing on their ability to perform social distancing measures. This study collected its data from 120 residents, which were tested using non-parametric tests and frequency analyses. The results demonstrated that even with water rationing, personal hygiene performance had significantly increased during the pandemic. Meanwhile, the external water collection had significantly affected their social distancing measures. The results highlighted that while the water rationing had been onerous during the pandemic, the respondents' heightened alertness and precautions had significantly intensified their personal hygiene measures. Nevertheless, should the water rationing be longer, its impact on the residents' hygiene performance might instead be more adverse.