Project SafeWater-Colon demonstrates there are viable solutions to the global water crisis
One billion people around the world lack access to safe water; the vast majority of whom are poor. According to the World Health Organization, 25,000 people die every day from preventable water-borne diseases. This shocking reality is one reason that Pentair is funding Project SafeWater – Colon. Through the Pentair Foundation, this multi-year, $4.6 million Project will result in scientifically defensible data that demonstrates that clean water can be provided to communities in need in a cost-effective manner.
An Ambitious Project That Mirrors Pentair’s Values
Pentair products and solutions deliver water solutions for its commercial, industrial and residential customers. Mirroring this focus, the Pentair Foundation is funding Project SafeWater-Colon to deliver effective water systems for those in need. By documenting current conditions, implementing solutions and tracking results, Pentair and its Project partner, Water Missions International, believe the Project will shape water-solution and relief efforts worldwide for the 1.1 billion people in the world who lack access to safe, clean water.
The Project, which was launched in April 2007, is based in Colon, Honduras, where 34 percent of the region’s 250,000 people lack access to safe water and 43 percent lack access to sanitation facilities. While many experts agree these statistics are likely understated, the percentages of people lacking access to safe water and adequate sanitation facilities exceed the global average. In a region where many people are forced to drink water so muddied with contaminants it is called “chocolate water,” Pentair is partnering with Water Missions International to create sustainable, safe water access and sanitation through the 5 phased project.
The Early Phases
Phase One of the Project called for face-to-face interviews of Colon residents to document water access and hygiene practices as well as the collection water samples to establish baseline statistics. The survey used for these interviews and the training material used to train the surveyors was created in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control, which will play an instrumental role in the data analysis at the end of the Project as well. Phase One, which is nearly complete, has revealed that there are approximately 600 communities in Colon, ranging in size from less than 100 to several thousand residents.
Phases Two and Three of the Project are focused on designing, fabricating and installing drinking water systems. Solutions to fit the unique situations of each community are being developed by Water Missions International and Pentair technology resources. Many communities will receive the transportable Living Water™ Treatment System (LWTS™), which incorporates Pentair’s Structural tanks and Myers’ pumps to provide a continuous supply of clean safe drinking water for communities up to 3,000 people. The system employs a multistage filtering system that reduces disease by removing waterborne pathogens, which can cause diarrhea, dysentery, cholera and hepatitis.
Community Development
The Community Development component of the Project is underway. This vital part of the project call for each community to establish a community leadership group that will: ensure that everyone in each community has access to the water system; operate and maintain the water system; and participate in, and later conduct, basic hygiene and health training. These leaders will also devise a fee structure to help ensure the long-term sustainability and independence of the water program in their communities. “The leaders in their communities understand that this will change their lives. With this project, Colon will be the first department in Honduras that will have 100 percent access to clean water. You will be able to walk into any village and know that the water is safe to drink,” said Hector Chacon, Water Missions International country director for Honduras.
Progress Reports
The expected outcomes of this project are twofold: access to safe water and adequate sanitation facilities for everyone in Colon, Honduras, resulting in a decrease in the incidence of water-borne diseases; and, documented information regarding the methodologies and costs of the project to demonstrate that the global water crisis can be resolved quickly and cost-effectively. Updates on the project will be provided regularly at this site. Stay tuned.