Safe drinking water for rural communities
In Cambodia, the majority of the population boils water to make it safe for drinking on wood fire stoves, while many do not use any sort of treatment at all. The smoke this gives off can have very harmful effects on the respiratory health of women and children in particular; drinking unpurified water can lead to illnesses particularly among young children.
saved annually per household from gathering and purchasing fuel
thanks to less exposure to indoor air pollution
given that they do not have to collect firewood
distributed providing clean water
created
mitigated on average annually
is protected on average each year as firewood is no longer needed to boil water
The project sells CWPs to families across Cambodia. Once the water has passed through the ceramic filter the clean water is stored in a plastic container, giving safe drinking water at just a turn of the tap. The filters are produced at a purpose-built factory in Cambodia providing employment opportunities to locals. The filters have a number of low-interest financing options and many are sold to NGOs who offer them at a subsidised price.
The simple yet highly effective technology, the project helps thousands of Cambodians access clean water, leading to a number of knock-on benefits. As indoor smoke is reduced, respiratory health improves, while clean drinking water is an essential component to combatting diarrheal illness. Overall public health is improved, which helps to stimulate economic activity. With the reduced need for wood fuel, families spend less time gathering wood and less money buying it, freeing up their resources for other activities. Less pressure is therefore put on Cambodias vulnerable forests.
