Sanitation is one of the basic determinants of quality of life and human development. However, inadequate sanitation and lack of hygiene remain one of the most pressing public health challenges, directly impeding the global progress toward United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which calls for ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030. Globally, 2.3 billion people do not have access to basic sanitation services, with 844 million people lacking clean drinking water and close to 673 million engaging in open defecation [1]. Safe and sufficient (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) WASH is vital in preventing numerous diseases such as trachoma, helminths, schistosomiasis, and diarrhoeal deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF estimate that approximately one-third of the global population lacks access to safely managed drinking water and sanitation services, creating a vicious cycle of disease and poverty, especially in rapidly expanding urban informal settlements [2].

Urban slums confer issues of sanitation related to lack of space and inability to construct toilets and inadequate water and drainage supply. In New Delhi, as reported by the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) [3] in 2011, 420,000 households, or nearly 15% of the city's population, lived in Jhuggi Jhopri clusters (JJCs) [4]. When DUSIB surveyed 56,980 of these households living in 589 JJC's, the prevalence of open defecation was 22.3%. While 55% of these households had access to community complex toilets, factors such as overcrowding, walking distance, and the lack of maintenance and repair of these sanitary facilities frequently force women and girls to resort to unhygienic sanitation practices, while increasing their vulnerability to psychosocial stressors, social exclusion, and violence [5]. These conditions are directly linked to the spread of waterborne pathogens and the increased incidence of dermatological conditions and urinary tract infections (UTIs) among women due to reliance on shared, often contaminated, sanitation infrastructure [6]. Addressing these localized infrastructural failures is central to my motivation to advance SDG Target 6.2 [7], which prioritizes achieving access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, with a specific focus on the needs of women and girls in vulnerable situations.

To address the pervasive hygiene deficit in community and shared sanitation settings, this study introduces the ByeByeLota portable bidet. This device represents a novel and considerable solution by offering a low cost, sustainable, and highly personalized cleansing alternative that directly aligns with the broader mandate of SDG 6. Unlike fixed bidets or jet sprays that are often absent, non-functional, or cross-contaminated in communal toilets, the ByeByeLota attaches directly to a standard water bottle, providing users with a controlled, individual stream of water for cleansing. This functionality evaluates successfully against multiple SDG 6 outcomes: it provides a tool for SDG Target Goal 6.2 (equitable hygiene access), promotes Target Goal 6.4 (increasing water-use efficiency through a targeted, pressurized stream), and empowers SDG Target Goal 6.b (supporting local community participation in sanitation management). The unique selling proposition (USP) of this portable bidet is its ability to ensure hygienic cleansing regardless of the infrastructural integrity of the toilet facility. It is an economical substitute for both expensive Western-style bidet attachments and the less effective traditional Lota (pitcher) pouring technique, which can lead to insufficient cleansing and potential hand contamination [8]. The literature on similar portable solutions is sparse, making this evaluation a critical pilot study in decentralized personal hygiene technology.

According to WHO 2009, India has the highest childhood diarrhoea prevalence with more than 380,000 children dying from diarrhoea and its complications [9]. Recognizing the critical link between poor personal hygiene and disease transmission, particularly among vulnerable populations, this paper reports a cross-sectional survey to assess the practical acceptability and efficacy of the ByeByeLota portable bidet as a viable bridge solution to reach the 2030 sanitation targets. The survey is based on the hypothesis that the introduction of a low-cost, personal, water-based cleansing device significantly improves perceived hygiene, comfort, and potential public health outcomes among residents of urban slum communities that primarily use shared sanitation facilities. This hypothesis was checked through a structured survey that recorded participants’ pre-existing conditions, a hands-on product trial, and post-trial user feedback.

This section outlines the methodology followed in conducting the research study. It explains how the survey was designed, how participants were selected, and what ethical measures were undertaken to ensure privacy of personal data. It also entails details of the data collection process using Google Forms and manual form collection, the distribution of the ByeByeLota portable bidet through hygiene workshops, the statistics including the number of responses attained, and the various methods utilized to derive our conclusion.

Making of the Survey

Study Design

This study is based on a cross-sectional survey to analyze and evaluate the hygiene and sanitation conditions, as well as challenges being faced by residents living in urban slum communities. The potential effectiveness of a portable, sustainable, low-cost faucet/bidet system is also measured by this study. The survey was conducted digitally via Google Forms and physically via distribution and collection of Google Forms copies in regions where technological advancements to operate Google Forms were not accessible. The survey was conducted in collaboration with the hygiene and sanitation drives under the ByeByeLota initiative by DAKSH WASH WELL FOUNDATION [10] in the urban slums of Delhi NCR and surrounding border regions of Haryana and Rajasthan.

Participants

The participants were residents of selected urban slum localities and labour housing communities where the ByeByeLota hygiene workshops were conducted, including:

• Bhanwar Singh Camp, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi
• Each One Feed One NGO operated slum
• Sharam Vihar, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi
• Kusumpur Pahadi, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi
• The Creative Thinkers Forum NGO operated slum: Basti Vikas Kendra, Okhla Phase 1, New Delhi
• RIICO Industrial Area, Bhiwadi, Rajasthan (labor housing community)
• Nisarg Foundation - Nuh, Haryana

Inclusion Criteria

Participants were eligible to take part in the study if they met the following conditions:

• Residents of urban slum or labor housing communities within Delhi NCR or nearby regions of Haryana and Rajasthan.
• Individuals capable of understanding basic hygiene instructions.
• Regular users of community or shared toilet facilities, or those lacking access to private sanitation.
• Willing to use the ByeByeLota portable bidet during the trial period and provide feedback on their experience.
• Provided informed verbal consent to participate in the hygiene workshop and data collection process.

Exclusion Criteria

The following participants were excluded from the study:

• Individuals unwilling or unable to provide consent for participation.
• Persons unable to understand instructions about the product’s use.
• Participants who did not complete the feedback form after using the portable bidet.
• Individuals with pre-existing medical conditions or mobility limitations that made participation in the bidet trial unsafe or impractical.
• Residents who were not part of the target communities or temporarily visiting the area during data collection.

Ethical Considerations

All participants were informed about the purpose and scope of the study before participating in the survey. The study was conducted in accordance with ethical principles of voluntary participation and informed verbal consent. Each respondent was clearly told that their participation was completely voluntary and that they had the permission to withdraw their consent or refuse to participate at any given point of time. The survey and demonstrations were conducted in a respectful and non-intrusive manner, ensuring cultural sensitivity while conducting hygiene workshops, distributing the ByeByeLota health faucet/bidet, and spreading awareness regarding appropriate hygiene practices described by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the National Health Survey Data on Waterborne Diseases, Government of India [11]. All data collected was stored securely and used solely for research purposes under the ByeByeLota initiative by the DAKSH WASH WELL FOUNDATION [12]. A disclaimer was provided stating, “Thank you for participating in our survey. This study is part of a research project, and the information you provide will be used for academic purposes only, specifically for a research article. Your responses are confidential and will not be linked to your identity.”

Data Collection and Survey Format

Data for this study were collected using a Google Form questionnaire, designed to capture both quantitative and qualitative information regarding hygiene conditions and practices in the surrounding regions, difficulties and illnesses faced by users, and user experience with the ByeByeLota portable bidet and its attempt to address the WASH-related guidelines [13]. To ensure accessibility, the survey was prepared in both English and Hindi and administered through two modalities: digitally, via mobile devices, and physically, using printed copies in areas with a lack of technological advancements. Survey administration was facilitated by the DAKSH WASH WELL FOUNDATION through the ByeByeLota initiative. The survey was organized into three sections: demographic (Q. 2 to 7), common toilets (Q. 8 to 13), toilet analysis (Q. 14 to 15) (jet spray, English, Hindi), health symptoms (Q. 16), ByeByeLota usage (Q. 17 to 21).

• Demographic and Background Information: This section collected general data, including age, gender, employment status, marital status, household size, occupation, and residence. It provided insight into participants’ living conditions.
• Analysis of Common Toilets: Participants were asked about frequency of usage, cleanliness, infrastructure, water supply, and quality of water of common toilet methods to provide context and insights into the current hygiene and sanitary conditions of common toilets.
• Usage and Awareness of Health Faucets and English Toilets: Participants were inquired regarding their knowledge of health faucets and modern methods of post-defecation cleansing.
• Health Symptoms: A question assessed the self-reported frequency of common WASH-related health issues.
• Product Experience and Feedback: Participants were provided with the ByeByeLota portable bidet and shown a brief demonstration on how to attach it to a standard water bottle. They were encouraged to use the bidet over a short trial period of 2–3 days. Following this period, participants completed the feedback section of the survey, evaluating ease of use, comfort, water efficiency, perceived hygiene improvement, and willingness to adopt the device permanently. Open-ended questions allowed participants to provide qualitative insights, suggestions, and personal experiences with the device. The combined approach of pre-usage assessment, hands-on trial, and post-usage feedback ensured that both objective and subjective measures of effectiveness were captured. Data collected were compiled and prepared for statistical analysis to evaluate the practical acceptability and public health impact of the ByeByeLota portable bidet.

Statistical Analysis

Data analysis was performed using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, Version 26.0). Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, were used to characterize the demographic profiles and sanitation conditions. To compare pre- and post-intervention outcomes (e.g., perceived cleanliness and reported health symptoms), inferential statistics such as chi-square tests of independence were utilized to determine if there was a statistically significant association between the use of the ByeByeLota and improved hygiene indicators.

The study achieved a total of N=350 valid responses.

Demographics

The demographic analysis revealed that the majority of the participants were female (65.4%, n=229), reflecting the focus of the hygiene workshops and the fact that women are often the primary managers of household sanitation and hygiene. The average age of participants was 34.5 years (SD=9.1), and 72% reported a monthly household income below 15,000, confirming their status as residents of low-income urban slum communities. Nearly 80% (n=280), (Table 2) of respondents reported relying exclusively on community or shared toilet facilities, validating their inclusion in the study.

Figure 1: Demographics.

Pre-Intervention Assessment (Problems and Health Symptoms)

The pre-intervention survey highlighted a severe shortage in sanitation infrastructure and hygiene practices amongst the surveyed participants. A substantial 82.3% (n=288) of participants rated the cleanliness of common toilets as "Poor" or "Very Poor," citing issues such as standing water, faecal contamination, and non-functional water supply. Furthermore, a concerning 55% (n=192) of female participants reported experiencing frequent self-diagnosed WASH-related illnesses, specifically skin rashes/infections or recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), within the past six months. This finding strongly aligns with broader public health literature that links inadequate post-defecation hygiene and contaminated shared facilities to the high incidence of infections in these communities. Participants reported that the primary cleansing methods were either a simple splash-and-wipe technique using water from a plastic mug (Lota) or using dry paper/rags due to lack of water flow, both of which are documented as sub-optimal for complete perianal hygiene.

Table 1: Pre-Intervention Findings.

Post-Intervention Analysis (Portable Bidet Efficacy)

Following the 2–3-day trial period, the feedback on the ByeByeLota portable bidet was collected, which was overwhelmingly positive. A significant 94.3% (n=330) of participants reported a subjective feeling of "much improved" cleanliness compared to their previous methods. Specifically, the controlled water stream was highlighted as a major improvement over the traditional Lota method. The portability was particularly valued by 78% of users, who stated they could carry it to any community toilet or even use it in fields for open defecation when necessary. Critically, 88% (n=308) of users expressed a willingness to adopt the device permanently, citing its ease of use, water efficiency (needing less water than the traditional Lota for a cleaner result), and low-cost nature.

Table 2: Post-Intervention Findings.

Discussion

The findings clearly indicate the practical acceptability and perceived hygiene benefits of the ByeByeLota portable bidet within a challenging urban slum environment. The USP of the bidet that contributed to its success is its decentralized, personalized hygiene delivery. It overcomes the central failure point of community sanitation—the lack of reliable, clean, fixed-facility water jets. This study's results correspond to prior literature emphasizing that perianal hygiene is crucial for preventing infection and that water-based cleansing is superior to dry paper or cloth in reducing bacterial load [14]. The bidet's low-cost and water-efficient design also directly addresses the sustainability challenges prevalent in informal settlements. Poor hygienic practices, inadequate water supply, and poor sanitary conditions play a major role in the spread of infectious diseases and thus beg for low price solutions [15].

While this pilot study provides strong evidence for acceptability, there are inherent limitations. The short trial period (2-3 days) means we could only assess perceived hygiene improvement, not a statistically significant reduction in actual health outcomes (like UTI or skin infection incidence) [16,17]. Future studies are critically needed to confirm these results with sustained data, tracking infection rates over a period of 6 to 12 months for an intervention group versus a control group. Furthermore, future iterations of the bidet will need to address minor feedback points, such as improving the durability of the cap seal and optimizing the nozzle pressure for different user preferences [18-20].

This study effectively evaluated the efficacy and adoption potential of the ByeByeLota portable bidet as a decentralized public health instrument within resource-limited urban slum communities. By validating the device's capacity to provide individualized hygiene, the research confirms its role as an essential intermediary solution to the persistent sanitation challenges faced in these environments. The research demonstrated a critical necessity for intervention, which resulted in overwhelmingly favorable user acceptance following the trial.

The ground realities were stark; pre-intervention assessments indicated that a significant 82.3% of participants evaluated the cleanliness of communal restrooms as "Poor" or "Very Poor". This lack of infrastructure is directly linked to a high self-reported burden of WASH-related illnesses, as evidenced by the 55% of female participants who reported frequent self-diagnosed skin infections or recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs). In evaluating the effect of the solution, the study found that after a short trial, the ByeByeLota device achieved a 94.3% satisfaction rating for making things seem cleaner. This indicates that the device performs significantly better than traditional methods, such as the Lota, for ensuring perianal hygiene.

Regarding long-term acceptability and use, a large 88% of users expressed a willingness to permanently adopt the low-cost device. Its primary unique selling point is the ability to provide a controlled, individual stream of water, which ensures safe cleansing regardless of the sanitary condition of a communal toilet. Furthermore, 78% of users emphasized that portability was a vital feature for overcoming the daily problems associated with shared bathrooms. The success of this environmentally friendly, patent-pending healthcare faucet proves that decentralized, personalized solutions can effectively prevent public health crises caused by infrastructure failure.

By providing an immediate and effective bridge solution, the device is well-suited for urban informal settlements where cost, water efficiency, and portability are critical priorities. This method aligns closely with government programs like the Prime Minister's Swachh Bharat Mission, which aims to improve national public health and sanitation. To achieve the maximum public health impact, the study identifies several next steps, beginning with scaling and distribution. The program has already distributed more than 3,500 units, helping over 30,000 people, and is currently working with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to set up mass distribution drives. The next objective is to secure multinational CSR funding to expand the project across the country.

Future efforts must also prioritize continuous longitudinal studies; while this pilot confirms practical acceptability, sustained studies over 6–12 months are critically recommended to statistically prove a reduction in infection rates among users. Simultaneously, product optimization should focus on enhancing device durability and adjusting nozzle pressure basesd on user feedback to ensure long-term sustainability. The ultimate goal remains helping vulnerable communities live without the burden of sickness caused by poor sanitation. By offering a controlled, hygienic, and portable water source, this device serves as a viable, immediate intervention that can dramatically improve personal hygiene and act as a bridge until permanent, high-quality infrastructure is established in communities identified by WHO/UNICEF as potential disease flashpoints [21].

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