We are very excited about the progress the ICSEE has made in our effort to help local communities access safer drinking water, in spite of the terrible pollution in the surface ponds they use.
Our work in developing the first three water project sites has given us a good view of the key elements required for success. We now understand details of how the chlorination systems work, how they can be managed simply, what they cost, and what is needed to scale up to the level required for public health.
Our water chlorination method requires a simple series of steps
- Meet with the families and chairperson in the water source collective
- Install the system tanks and piping
- Provide the chairperson of the collective with system management training
- Provide small solar-powered pump for the chairperson to fill the settling tank
- ICSEE samples and tests water regularly to ensure proper system operation and safety of the water
The chairperson performs essential daily tasks in this process
- Fill the settling tank each afternoon
- Put alum in the settling tank for overnight settling of silt and organic matter
- Open valves each morning to transfer water to chlorination tank, and add chlorine
- Open the flow of safe water to the faucets for water users
Safe drinking water at a low cost
With our initial projects, each family gets ten gallons a day of safe water. Installation costs are approximately $25 dollars per family. Alum and chlorine chemicals cost about twenty- five cents per family, per month.
ICSEE is in the process of developing payment schedules so that the users can cover most of the cost. Iddi Kimanta, Monduli District Commissioner, visited our second system, and tells us he wants to mobilize his local government departments to work with us for scaling up. This would be a tremendous boon for public health in this area.
International Collaborative for Science, Education, and the Environment