Aquatabs vs P&G Purifier of Water for Emergency Response

South Sudan is currently experiencing its largest cholera outbreak on record — over 96,000 confirmed cases since September 2024, with active transmission in nine states and the 2026 rainy season now under way. For WASH coordinators and logistics teams facing urgent procurement decisions, the question is not simply whether to stock water purification products. It is which product, deployed where, and why. This guide sets out the practical differences between Aquatabs and P&G Purifier of Water and gives you a clear framework for making the right call in the field.

How Each Water Purification Product Works

Aquatabs are effervescent sodium dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC) tablets manufactured by Medentech. When dissolved in water, they release free chlorine that rapidly inactivates bacteria, viruses, and protozoa — including Vibrio cholerae, the pathogen responsible for cholera. Tablets are produced in dose-specific sizes for 1-litre, 10-litre, and 200-litre volumes, which eliminates the measurement errors that undermine chlorination programmes at the household level. Aquatabs are on the approved procurement lists of UNICEF, WHO, and most major humanitarian agencies, and they appear in the standard NFI kits managed by WASH Cluster pipelines worldwide.

P&G Purifier of Water (commonly called PUR sachets) uses a dual-mechanism approach. Each sachet contains a coagulant — ferric sulfate — combined with a disinfectant — calcium hypochlorite. The coagulant binds suspended solids, turbidity, and organic matter into visible floc that settles to the bottom of the container. The disinfectant then treats the now-clearer water. This two-stage action is the critical difference: P&G Purifier of Water can treat highly turbid water that NaDCC tablets alone cannot safely disinfect, because suspended particles physically shield pathogens from chlorine contact.

When Aquatabs Are the Right Choice

Aquatabs perform best when source water is relatively clear — typically below 20 NTU turbidity — or has been pre-settled or pre-filtered. In established displacement sites with identified water points, household distribution programmes, and large-scale NFI pipeline operations, Aquatabs are the faster and simpler solution. The tablet dissolves in minutes. There is no settling step, no pouring through cloth, and no multi-stage process for the end user to follow correctly.

Their format also suits household-level distribution at scale. A family receiving an Aquatabs supply can treat daily drinking water with minimal instruction, without equipment, and with a consistent dose every time. For programmes running household water treatment (HWT) across tens of thousands of displaced people — the kind of caseload typical of Juba, Wau, or Bentiu operations — Aquatabs are the practical default. We maintain standing inventory across our warehouse network in Juba, Wau, Bentiu, and Bor and can supply against your programme’s procurement schedule. Full product details are available on our WASH products page.

When P&G Purifier of Water Is the Right Choice

P&G Purifier of Water is the right tool when source water turbidity is high — and in flood conditions, turbidity is almost always high. Floodwater in South Sudan’s most affected states carries agricultural runoff, latrine overflow, sediment, and organic debris that pushes NTU values far beyond the range where chlorine tablets alone can guarantee safety. Using NaDCC tablets on highly turbid water produces treated water that still contains pathogens protected within suspended particles. The free chlorine is present; it simply cannot reach everything it needs to kill.

The treatment process for P&G sachets takes approximately 30 minutes per 10-litre batch: mix the sachet contents into the water, stir for five minutes to initiate coagulation, pour through a clean cloth into a second container, and allow 20 minutes of contact time for disinfection. The output is safe drinking water from sources that would otherwise be untreatable at the household level. In communities situated adjacent to flooded latrines, or where cholera transmission is confirmed and any uncertainty about water quality is unacceptable, P&G Purifier of Water provides a higher level of protection than a chlorine tablet used alone. We have supplied combined Aquatabs and P&G kits to humanitarian operations across the region; our case studies page documents several of these deployments.

Choosing in the Field: A Decision Framework

The question we hear most from WASH coordinators is whether they can standardise on a single product. In most active emergency responses, the answer is no — and trying to do so creates gaps. The two products cover different water quality conditions, and both conditions are typically present in the same operational area. Our recommendation:

Use Aquatabs when source water turbidity is below 20 NTU, when household distribution at scale is the primary modality, when simplicity and speed of use are the priority, or when you are working within a standard WASH Cluster supply pipeline.

Use P&G Purifier of Water when source water is heavily turbid or visibly brown, when floodwater is the primary household water source, when cholera transmission is confirmed in the response area, or when your team has capacity to train households on the two-step treatment process.

In a South Sudan rainy season response — which is where we are right now — we typically recommend pre-positioning both products. Aquatabs cover the larger household distribution caseload across relatively clear water points. P&G sachets are deployed in the most flood-affected communities where water quality is at its most compromised. Getting both products into position before flood peaks rather than after is what makes the difference between a functional response and a logistics emergency.

Get the Right Stock in Place Now

South Sudan’s record cholera caseload and the 2026 rainy season create real urgency around procurement timelines. The Mombasa–Juba corridor and Nairobi–Juba route can move product quickly, but lead times matter when the rains are already arriving. If your programme needs Aquatabs, P&G Purifier of Water, or a combined WASH kit — whether for immediate deployment or forward pre-positioning — contact our team to discuss quantities, pricing, and delivery into Juba, Wau, Bentiu, Bor, or other field sites across our operational reach.