Water Supply Systems | Latrines | Hand-Washing Stations | Laundry and Bathing Facilities | Water Treatment Equipment | Global Water Partners | Planned Projects– Fully or Partially Funded, Table 1 | Planned Projects– Unfunded, Table 2

Well Drilling – Well drilling projects often involve contracting with local well drilling companies and hiring them to drill and develop wells and install pumps.  Deep wells (over 200 feet) are often the most expensive water supply infrastructure projects undertaken by Global Water (or any water-oriented organization).  As much as possible, we try to connect with an NGO that owns a well drilling rig since they are often more economical than a for-profit company.          

Rain Catchment Systems ** – Rain harvesting systems consist of the following sub-systems:

1. catchment area (roof, hillside)

2. conveyance system (guttering, downspouts, piping)

3. pre-filtration (screen)

4. storage tank (above ground or below ground)

5. distribution (pump or gravity flow)

6. treatment (slow sand filtration, UV, chlorine)

Rainwater Harvesting is an excellent way to create a water supply system when there is sufficient rainfall in an area.  A useful rule of thumb is - you can collect 600 gallons of water when 1 inch of rain falls on a 1,000 square foot surface (for example, a 33 foot x 33 foot roof).
** Information relating to rain catchment systems has been received from the Save the Rain Organization.
           

Hand Pump Repairs – There are tens of thousands of hand pumps being used in the developing world since a hand pump is the simplest form of water pump to be installed on a well.  Unfortunately, hand pumps are also notorious for needing repairs as all hand pump designs have components that require routine maintenance that realistically can’t be done by most non-technical well users.  Because of this, there is a continual need for repair of hand pumps, especially on the African continent. 

Latrines–The lack of adequate sanitation is a major reason why many existing water supplies in developing countries are so contaminated. Once introduced into a water source as a result of inadequate sanitary facilities, protozoan, bacterial and viral microorganisms can live in water supplies for very long periods of time. These microorganisms are often the primary cause of disease and sickness throughout rural areas of developing countries.

Global Water routinely funds the building of latrines to create proper sanitary facilities as a complement to installing a new water supply system.  In addition, we also support hygiene and sanitation education wherever we support water supply projects.  

These efforts (safe water, proper sanitation, hygiene education) are synergistic and go hand-in-hand to create a safe environment for rural populations.  In particular, latrine facilities and hand-washing stations are constructed in the proximity of schools and other children-oriented facilities.

Hand-Washing Stations – Hand-washing facilities are needed at all schools in developing countries for the following reasons

1. Students can wash their hands in safe water after using latrines at school;

2. Students can brush their teeth in safe water at school;

3. Students can practice the hygiene education they learn at school; learning to wash hands after using latrines is practically useless if a school doesn’t have a hand-washing facility so students can practice.  Likewise, students must practice brushing teeth at school, as well, because many students attending rural schools in developing countries do not wash their hands nor brush their teeth at home; therefore, it must be practiced at school.

Laundry and Bathing Facilities –
Centralized laundry and bathing facilities are routinely needed throughout the developing world.  If not provided, women, especially, are placed in harm’s way as they try to clean clothes and bathe in streams and rivers. 

Water Treatment Equipment – Global Water provides support in the form of water treatment equipment and technical consulting for its projects.  This usually takes the form of funding the creation of slow-sand filters for filtration and shipping disinfection devices to NGOs in developing countries.  In addition, a goal of Global Water is to become a clearinghouse for technical information and innovative solutions for water treatment equipment that is sustainable in remote regions of developing countries.  In concert with this goal, Global Water has created the Technology Push Program to distribute water treatment technologies applicable to developing countries.  The Program is starting with disinfection equipment as indicated in its description found in the Technology Push Program write-up located in the Current Projects – 2007 Link Box on the Global Water website’s main page.  Disinfection is recommended for most surface water sources, but may be needed, as well, for groundwater sources, especially those at a shallow depth (within 20 feet of the ground surface, groundwater is influenced by surface contamination).  Unfortunately, disinfection is a luxury for all water supply projects in developing countries.  Global Water now provides disinfection equipment to NGOs in developing countries either free-of-charge or at a nominal fee depending upon the situation. 

Aqua Para La Salud (Water for Health) - Guatemala

Aqua Para Las Vida (Water for Life) - Nicaragua

By Provision – Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Northern South Africa

El Porvenir (The Future) - Nicaragua

Professor Gilbert Onuaguluchi Foundation - Nigeria

Program De Ayuda Para Los Vecinos Del Altiplano or (PAVA), (Program to Help Highland Neighbors) - Guatemala

Save the Rain – Tanzania, Uganda

US Peace Corps - Guatemala