Aquatabs 33mg vs 67mg: Key Differences and Why 67mg Is the Right Choice for South Sudan

Access to safe drinking water remains one of the most urgent humanitarian challenges in South Sudan. With widespread flooding, mass displacement, and fragile water infrastructure, the right water purification solution can be the difference between a safe water point and a cholera outbreak. Aquatabs — the world's most widely used water purification tablet — is a frontline tool for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) programs across the country. But not all Aquatabs are the same.

One question procurement officers, WASH coordinators, and field logistics teams increasingly ask is: what is the difference between Aquatabs 33mg and Aquatabs 67mg, and which one is right for South Sudan? This post answers that question in full, drawing on field realities across Greater Equatoria, Unity State, and the Jonglei corridor where SLS operates.

What Are Aquatabs? A Quick Overview

Aquatabs are effervescent tablets manufactured by Kersia (formerly Medentech) containing Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC) as the active ingredient. When dissolved in water, NaDCC releases hypochlorous acid — the same disinfection chemistry used in municipal water treatment — killing bacteria, viruses, and cysts that cause waterborne diseases including cholera, typhoid, and dysentery.

NaDCC tablets are endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and are registered on the UNGM procurement platform used by UN agencies including IOM and UNMISS. They are available in a range of formulations calibrated to different water volumes, turbidity levels, and operational contexts.

The Core Difference: Aquatabs 33mg vs 67mg

The number in the product name refers to the quantity of NaDCC (Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate) in each tablet. This directly determines how much water each tablet can effectively treat and at what chlorine concentration.

Aquatabs 33mg — The Household Tablet

• Designed to treat 10 litres of clear water per tablet

• Typical end-use chlorine residual: 0.5 mg/L (WHO minimum for safe drinking water)

• Pack sizes commonly range from 30 to 100 tablets per sachet

• Primarily designed for household-level water treatment by individual families

• Widely distributed in NFI (Non-Food Item) kits by NGOs and government actors

• Suitable for relatively clear water sources — surface turbidity below 5 NTU is ideal

Aquatabs 67mg — The Operational Standard for Field Programs

• Designed to treat 20 litres of clear water, or 10 litres of moderately turbid water

• Provides a higher chlorine dose, producing a residual of up to 1.0 mg/L in turbid conditions

• Preferred formulation for centralized water treatment points and communal distribution

• Suited to jerry cans, intermediate storage containers, and water trucking operations

• Offers greater flexibility across variable source water quality

• The formulation of choice for UNHCR, IOM, and UNICEF field operations in sub-Saharan Africa

The 34mg difference between the two formulations is not trivial. In field environments where water sources are unpredictable — shifting from borehole to river water, or from seasonal rains to stagnant floodwater — the higher NaDCC concentration in the 67mg tablet provides a critical safety buffer.

Why Aquatabs 67mg Is the Better Choice for South Sudan

South Sudan presents a uniquely demanding water treatment environment. The combination of seasonal flooding, population displacement, degraded infrastructure, and high disease burden creates conditions that consistently exceed what the 33mg tablet was designed to handle. Here is why the 67mg formulation is operationally superior in this context.

1. Turbid Water Sources Are the Norm, Not the Exception

During the rainy season — which runs from April through October across most of South Sudan — borehole contamination increases significantly as floodwaters mix with groundwater. Surface water from the Nile tributaries, seasonal pools, and hand-dug wells routinely exceeds 5 NTU turbidity, the upper limit at which a 33mg tablet delivers adequate disinfection.

The 67mg tablet delivers twice the NaDCC dose, which means effective disinfection remains achievable even in moderately turbid source water. For field teams that cannot pre-filter every water source before treatment — a common operational reality in South Sudan — this additional capacity is essential.

2. Communal Water Points Require Scalable Dosing

In displacement camps and collective centres across Juba, Malakal, Bentiu, and Bor, water distribution is managed at the communal level. Beneficiaries typically collect water in 20-litre jerry cans rather than 10-litre containers. The 67mg tablet is precisely calibrated for the 20-litre jerry can format — one tablet, one can, one correct dose. Using 33mg tablets in this setting requires two tablets per jerry can, doubling the dispensing complexity and introducing dosing errors.

When a community health volunteer is managing water distribution for hundreds of beneficiaries, simplicity of dosing is a safety feature. The 67mg tablet eliminates the arithmetic and the error margin.

3. Supply Chain Efficiency in Remote Locations

Getting consumables to remote delivery points in South Sudan — Pibor, Kapoeta, Raja, Leer — is expensive and logistically demanding. The 67mg tablet treats the same volume of water as two 33mg tablets but in a single unit, which means half the tablet count for equivalent coverage. This translates directly into reduced shipping weight, reduced packaging volume, and reduced customs exposure — all critical factors when moving WASH supplies across the Nimule corridor or by barge on the White Nile.

Specialized Logistics Solutions (SLS) routinely advises procurement teams to specify Aquatabs 67mg for South Sudan operations precisely because of these supply chain advantages. Fewer tablets per beneficiary per day means lighter airlift, smaller warehouse footprint, and faster distribution.

4. Alignment with UN Agency Procurement Standards

IOM, UNHCR, and UNICEF — the three agencies with the largest WASH footprint in South Sudan — have standardized on the 67mg formulation for communal water treatment programs. Specifying the same product formulation in your procurement avoids compatibility issues during joint operations, simplifies hand-over of stock between organizations, and ensures your supply is accepted in pipeline arrangements managed through humanitarian hubs in Juba and Malakal.

5. Effective Against Cholera Outbreaks

South Sudan has experienced repeated cholera outbreaks, with the Central Equatoria and Upper Nile regions most affected in recent years. During a cholera response, water treatment must achieve a higher chlorine residual to ensure full inactivation of Vibrio cholerae in water with elevated organic load. The 67mg tablet's higher NaDCC dose provides a greater safety margin in outbreak conditions where water quality may be severely degraded and pre-treatment is not possible.

Aquatabs 33mg vs 67mg: Comparison at a Glance

Feature	33mg Tablet	67mg Tablet
Water volume treated (turbid)	10L (clear)	20L (clear) / 10L
NaDCC content	33mg	67mg
Chlorine residual	0.5 mg/L	0.5–1.0 mg/L
Turbid water suitability	Low	Moderate to High
Primary use case	Household	Communal / Field Operations
Jerry can compatibility	10L	20L
UN agency preferred standard	—	IOM / UNHCR / UNICEF

When Should You Use Aquatabs 33mg?

The 33mg tablet remains appropriate in specific contexts. If your program distributes water at the household level in jerry cans of 10 litres or less — such as in NFI kits for newly displaced populations — the 33mg format provides correct dosing without over-chlorination. It is also appropriate for urban household programs where water quality is reasonably good and individual family members are the ones treating their own water.

For most humanitarian operations in South Sudan, however, the 67mg tablet is the recommended default.

Procuring Aquatabs 67mg for South Sudan Operations

Specialized Logistics Solutions (SLS) is an authorized Aquatabs supplier serving UN agencies, international NGOs, and government organizations across South Sudan, Uganda, and the DRC. Our Juba warehouse maintains stock of Aquatabs 67mg for immediate DDP delivery to project sites. We are registered on the UNGM platform (vendor number 380716) and supply under IOM, UNMISS, and WHO framework agreements. To request a quotation or check current stock availability, visit our WASH supplies page or contact our procurement team directly at sales@maji-safi.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use Aquatabs 67mg in a 10-litre container?

A: Yes, but with caution. Using a 67mg tablet in 10 litres of water will produce a chlorine residual of approximately 1.0 mg/L — which is above the WHO recommended residual of 0.5 mg/L but within safe drinking limits. In turbid or potentially contaminated water, this higher residual may be desirable. In clear, low-contamination water, splitting the dose is possible but operationally impractical in the field.

Q:Are Aquatabs 67mg WHO-approved?

A: Yes. Aquatabs in all formulations — including 67mg — are listed on the WHO Essential Medicines List and are approved for use in emergency water treatment programs. They meet the specifications set out in the SPHERE Handbook for humanitarian response.

Q:How long does Aquatabs stock remain effective?

A: Aquatabs have a shelf life of five years from the date of manufacture when stored correctly — in a cool, dry, dark environment away from direct sunlight. For South Sudan's climate, SLS recommends storing tablets in temperature-controlled warehouses whenever possible, particularly for large reserve stocks.

Q: Do Aquatabs work against all waterborne pathogens?

A: Aquatabs are highly effective against bacteria (including Vibrio cholerae, E. coli, Salmonella typhi) and viruses (including Hepatitis A and Rotavirus). They are less effective against Cryptosporidium and Giardia cysts in highly turbid water. For water sources with known or suspected cyst contamination, coagulant-flocculent pre-treatment using P&G Purifier of Water sachets before applying Aquatabs is the recommended protocol.

Conclusion

Choosing between Aquatabs 33mg and 67mg comes down to operational context. For South Sudan — where water sources are turbid, communal distribution is the norm, supply chains are challenging, and the cholera risk is persistent — the 67mg tablet is the clear choice. It treats more water per tablet, handles variable water quality, aligns with UN agency standards, and reduces the logistical burden of getting safe water to the people who need it most.

If you are procuring Aquatabs for a South Sudan WASH program and need technical guidance, competitive pricing, or DDP delivery to your project location, contact Specialized Logistics Solutions today. Our team has the in-country experience and supply chain infrastructure to support your program from Juba to the last mile.