The Water Project - How it Works

We will provide technical assistance and supplies (both funded by your donations to TheWaterProject.org) for communities to build a small dam across a seasonal river channel and/or a water tank with a 100,000 litre capacity.

How The Water is Collected in Weirs

Weirs, check dams, or sand dams are effective in storing often intense tropical rainfalls that occur roughly twice a year. During these times, river channels fill with water after rain falls for a few hours or days. The problem is, with no natural barriers the water moves quickly out to the Indian Ocean. Weirs can block and store a large amount of this water without adversely affecting communities downstream. The seepage into the ground also helps to replenish the water table. The community then guards the quality of water by preventing animals from having direct access to the water source.

Water Tank Roof Top

How The Water is Collected From Roof-tops

Also called rain harvesting, these simple systems connect downspouts and other rain catchment systems to a central water tank capable of holding about 100,000 litres or more. Often the issue is not that it never rains, but rather that when it does, most of the runoff is lost. These systems combined, make the best use of what little rain there is.

Filtration

There are an increasing number of simple and very effective technologies for filtering the water that is caught and stored. The simplest is a two-stage sand and charcoal filter. Much like a pool filter does, the sand removes large particles and "gunk" so the charcoal filter, which does the real work of eliminating contaminates, is more efficient. When necessary, chemicals such as chlorine may be needed to further process the water for drinking. Local community leaders are trained to manage the entire system.

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Water is Life

With your help, we can work towards the goal to...

"Reduce by half, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and the proportion of people who do not have access to basic sanitation." (U.N. Millennium Development Goal #7)