Water
Water quality is a growing concern throughout the developing world. Drinking water sources are under increasing threat from contamination, with far-reaching consequences for the health of children and for the economic and social development of communities and nations.
Deteriorating water quality threatens the global gains made in improving access to drinking water. From 1990 to 2006 more than 1.6 billion people gained access to improved water sources, but not all of these new sources are safe. Unsafe handling and storage of water compounds the problem. Water drawn from safe sources may be contaminated by the time it is ultimately consumed in households.
The chemical contamination of water supplies – both naturally occurring and from pollution – is a very serious problem. Arsenic and fluoride alone threaten the health of hundreds of millions of people. But more serious still is the microbiological contamination of drinking water supplies, especially from human faeces. Faecal contamination of drinking water is a major contributor to diarrhoeal disease, which kills millions of children every year. As population increases, so does pollution and environmental degradation, and so will the chemical and microbiological contamination of water supplies.
The best way to address faecal contamination of drinking water is by preventing it from happening in the first place. Well-constructed latrines prevent the contamination of water supplies. Regular hand-washing before handling water minimizes the risk that water used and stored in the home is contaminated with dirty hands. For these reasons, CGA stresses sanitation and hygiene promotion as the first line of defense for protecting drinking water from faecal contamination. CGA works with its partners to improve the quality of water through Ceramaji water filter technology.
Deteriorating water quality threatens the global gains made in improving access to drinking water. From 1990 to 2006 more than 1.6 billion people gained access to improved water sources, but not all of these new sources are safe. Unsafe handling and storage of water compounds the problem. Water drawn from safe sources may be contaminated by the time it is ultimately consumed in households.
The chemical contamination of water supplies – both naturally occurring and from pollution – is a very serious problem. Arsenic and fluoride alone threaten the health of hundreds of millions of people. But more serious still is the microbiological contamination of drinking water supplies, especially from human faeces. Faecal contamination of drinking water is a major contributor to diarrhoeal disease, which kills millions of children every year. As population increases, so does pollution and environmental degradation, and so will the chemical and microbiological contamination of water supplies.
The best way to address faecal contamination of drinking water is by preventing it from happening in the first place. Well-constructed latrines prevent the contamination of water supplies. Regular hand-washing before handling water minimizes the risk that water used and stored in the home is contaminated with dirty hands. For these reasons, CGA stresses sanitation and hygiene promotion as the first line of defense for protecting drinking water from faecal contamination. CGA works with its partners to improve the quality of water through Ceramaji water filter technology.
Kenya Ceramic Project (CeraMaji Water Filters)
The Kenya Ceramic Project (KCP) is a student-led international health initiative aimed at bringing access to clean, safe drinking water to areas of rural Kenya through the production of ceramic water filters. The filters produced by KCP are 99.9% effective at eliminating bacteria and other pathogens from local stream water, and are capable of producing clean water for a family of five for up to three years.
The vision of KCP is to achieve a self-sustaining system where filters are made widely available to all Kenyans at affordable prices with all revenue going toward sustaining production and further expansion. This way, we invest in the local infrastructure and economy by creating jobs and relying solely on local materials for production, as well as local leadership for direction. Over the past year, KCP has made significant advances toward these goals, which have brought us closer to the model of sustainability we have envisioned.
We have seen KCP grow from a relatively obscure project to a well-known and reputable name that stands for quality, integrity, and consistency. We have recently solidified a partnership with the Moi University Faculty of Medicine in Eldoret, which has agreed to host our impact assessment and epidemiology research. We have also begun a working relationship with the UNICEF Kenya Country Office, which has expressed interest in purchasing our products for disaster relief in Northern and Western Kenya. Nationally, we have begun professional relationships with key players in water sanitation including SWAP (Safe Water and Aids Project) and PATH (Program for Appropriate Technology in Health), both of which have purchased mass quantities of filters from KCP for distribution both within and outside of Kenya.
On the production and innovation front, the KCP has grown from a manually-run, inefficient operation to a smooth, well-oiled machine. We have recently transitioned to an entirely machine-based production process, with two hydraulic filter presses and formal training for all technicians on factory machinery. This has increased the rate of filter production by more than 50%, and improved efficiency so that we can focus on other areas of production including microbiological testing and quality assurance. This past year, KCP gained certification from the Kenya Bureau of Standards after our products were tested in a government laboratory and deemed to meet the national standard for a public health product. This news is very exciting for the KCP, as it means that the filters can now be marketed nation-wide.
Finally, the ultimate goal of KCP is to successfully get the filters into the hands of the people who need them most, and this is where we have experienced our greatest success this year. Over the past several months, we have successfully landed our products in all of the largest supermarkets in the region, including Suam, Transmatt, and Khetias Gigamart, which are stocking the filters not only locally in Kitale, but in other locations across Kenya. Through this, the vision of a locally sustained project that invests in local industry and economy is also taking shape. On a smaller scale, we have experienced success selling the filters at local open air markets and independently owned shops throughout Kitale and other nearby cities.
Today, our water filters are providing a simple, cheap, efficient pot that can eliminate disease simply by pouring water through it; a product that is being used by thousands of people as we speak. In fact, with the projected impact of 5 persons per filter used, our simple technology is currently affecting the lives of 25, 000 Kenyans, 4, 800 Ugandans and 16, 000 Somalis as you read this page. The vision of KCP is no longer a vision: it is a reality. Our filter is no longer an idea: it is a real solution that is saving lives today. With the support of people like you, we can continue the momentum that we have started, and persist on the path toward not only sustainability, but a healthier future.
You can support this initiative by:
- Buy a filter for a family @ Kshs. 2000 (US$ 20)
