Water that emerges as a spring can be easily tapped and used. Indeed, such sources are often highly desirable for community water supply projects as they can have a high natural water quality and require relatively basic engineering. This is both great news for the implementers (as developing the source is usually straightforward) and great news for the community who will have to look after the project into the future.
Taken as a whole, spring protection is often one of the most efficient and sustainable solution for water supply in small communities.
Springs are water sources that come from deep underground, where the water is filtered through natural layers until it is clean enough to drink. Once the water pushes through the surface of the Earth, however, outside elements like waste and runoff can contaminate the water quickly. We protect spring sources from contamination with a simple waterproof cement structure surrounding layers of clay, stone, and soil. This construction channels the spring’s water through a discharge pipe, making water collection easier, faster, and cleaner. Each spring protection also includes a chlorine dispenser at the waterpoint so community members can be assured that the water they are drinking is entirely safe. Learn more here!
Rehabilitation Project
Rehabilitation is not just fixing a pump - it’s total community re-engagement.
There’s only one thing we can think of that might be worse than not having safe water: having safe water, and then losing it because a project fell into disrepair.
Rehabilitation often proves to be a big challenge, as many wells have sit idle for years and there is typically little information about the specifics of the well. A borehole and dug well rehabilitation involves quite a bit of discovery. First, our teams work to discover as much as they can about the initial project. What materials were used? Was the borehole/protected dug well properly constructed? Many of these questions can only be answered by diving in, and doing “the work” which makes up a rehabilitation.
Once our teams have found the problem, they find the solution. Then, they reconstruct the well and install a hand pump.
Engagement and training with communities takes into account rehabilitation was needed and alters the program to suit the needs of the community. After all - engaging with this community in the same way which led to the initial, failed project will not bring new results. Our teams work to understand the social and support reasons leading to initial failure, and make those areas a focus of our ongoing engagement with communities.
Local Leadership
Water projects don’t last long without the help of local leaders. They’re the ones who explain the situation on the ground to us (and our donors!) while also outlining our goals and intentions for the community members.
The Water Project identifies, supports, and partners with local organizations that share our vision of reliable, verifiable, and clean water. Together, we build lasting local solutions and undertake ongoing monitoring and resolution to ensure our solutions are still working years into the future.
Community Engagement
We engage the communities we work with at every step of a water project.
These interactions are rooted in relationship-building. We involve the community in implementation, set expectations for water point management, prepare community members for ongoing costs, and more. All of this happens before a water project is installed.
The people receiving a water project get a leading seat at the table. Every water project we implement requires negotiations with several interested parties. During this step and every other, we continuously try to embody our favorite ideals: reliability, relationship, and trust.
Hygiene and Sanitation Training
For many communities, water is just the beginning. Living without water deprioritizes things that deplete water rations, like bathing, cleaning, and even handwashing. Also, in some cases, community members who couldn’t afford to go to school never learned topics usually covered in health classes. A steady water supply on its own won’t solve these issues, which is why we train the people in every community, school, and health center we provide with a water project.
Although we tailor the subjects we cover in each training to each region and community, there are some staples we always touch on: water handling and storage; personal and environmental hygiene; disease transmission; how to form and maintain a water user committee; and the operation/maintenance of the community’s new water project.
With each training, our goal is to empower communities to take back their personal health so growth and development can begin.
Monitoring and Resolution
Sub-Saharan Africa is littered with broken and abandoned wells installed by well-meaning people.
We love celebrating when a project is complete and a community has access to clean, safe water. However, reliability is the true measure of our impact.
Water can only transform lives if it’s always there. Water-fetchers need to know that when they visit one of our water points, there will always be water. Sometimes, it only takes one sip of dirty water to make someone sick, even if they’d been drinking clean water for months beforehand.
This is why we measure our water projects’ downtime in hours, not days or weeks. Each hour is critical to someone’s life, and each hour someone has to wait for clean water is another opportunity to go back to the rivers, swamps, and scoop holes they resorted to before our water project was installed. Our past water projects are just as important as what we tackle in the future.
The Water Project monitors all of our water projects to make sure water service continues. To learn more about how you can help with ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and resolution, read about The Water Promise: a group of amazing, world-changing monthly donors who understand the power of keeping water flowing long after the installation is done.
Project Timeline FAQ
Project Status
We’re working hard to make sure your gifts result in a lasting water project for the community it serves. Our engagement with a community begins many months before construction and lasts years after construction. The timeline here is focused on the physical construction of the water project. There is also training and engagement work that has already started.
Water project construction in the developing world is hard work. A lot of things can and do cause delays - which are normal. We attempt to make our best judgment of when construction will be complete, but the circumstances surrounding actual "in the field" conditions are far from our control.
Weather, supply availability, government paperwork, and progress of community involvement are just a few of the variables that can delay (and sometimes speed up) a project's completion.
We will always tell you if anything changes. And, if you get a notice like this – it’s actually further proof your gifts are being carefully used towards a water project that lasts.
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Community Profile
This project is a part of our shared program with Western Water And Sanitation Forum. Our team is pleased to directly share the report below (edited for clarity, as needed).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
This unprotected spring is located in Mumuli Village 7km away from Kakamega County Headquarters, off Kakamega – Ingotse road, Kakamega Central Sub-county, and Lurambi Division, Shikoti location, Murumba sub-Location, Butsotso East ward. The spring serves over 25 households with a total population 175 of people including children. The population is made up of 100 females and 75 males.
Justification
During vetting of the spring by the WASH staff, it was evident that the water and sanitation situation at the unprotected spring was wanting. The spring is located downhill and since it is not protected, the water source is open to contamination by surface run off. The community members using the spring admitted that there have been cases of water borne diseases. The most affected were the children and pregnant women
The water is used for drinking for both human and animals, cooking, and irrigation on the farms especially during the dry period.
With regard to water improvement, the community members stated they have been drinking that water since they were born and very few boil or disinfect it because they cannot afford buying chlorine for the treatment and firewood or boiling. They are forced to go to the forest in search of firewood which is risky for women and children and if they are found in the forest they need to pay a fine of five hundred shillings.
Sanitation is also a big problem as many people have no good latrines and others even use bushes, also contaminating the water.
The community members are in dire need of support and are urging WEWASAFO and The Water Project to consider them and protect the spring so that they can reduce diarrhea diseases and reduce time wasted in order to engage in other economic activities.
Results of the Project:
Spring Protection
Protection of Marko Mutamba Mumuli spring is complete and now in use.
Before protection, water quality samples were collected from the spring and taken to the government laboratory for tests.The results revealed that the water from the spring was both bacteriologically and E. Coli contaminated. But now with protection and proper conservation of the water catchment area, the level of contamination has been completely minimized. Cases of water borne diseases are now expected to greatly reduce.
The community members are happy to use the spring since they know for sure that they are getting safe water. They are also confident that with the training they received from the WEWASAFO Wash team, they will now take sanitation and hygiene to the next level.
All Thanks to The Water Project for their continuous support to the community members.
Sanitation Platforms
Household sanitation platforms (cement slabs for latrine construction) have been installed for the community members who benefitted from them and are now using them.
Simon, one of the slab beneficiaries really thanked The Water Project for casting a slab for his family. He admitted that they can now use the toilet as opposed to the previous situation where they were forced to use the bush. Hygiene and Sanitation has improved in their home. Other community members are keen to replicate the same in their homes.
Project Updates
August, 2020: Through Their Eyes: COVID-19 Chronicles with Paulo Juma Mutamba
This post is part of a new series by The Water Project meant to highlight the perspectives and experiences of the people we serve and how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting them. We invite you to read more of their stories here.
45-year-old Paulo Juma Mutamba is a farmer and pastor in Mumoli who depends on Marko Mutamba Mumuli Spring for all of hs daily water needs. He also serves as the chair of the spring's water user committee, helping to guide and inspire his community to uphold hygiene standards and best practices at the spring while looking out for its maintenance and care.
Paulo Juma Mutamba at home.
Our team recently visited Mumuli to conduct a COVID-19 prevention training (read more about it below!) and monitor their water point. Shortly after, we returned to check in on the community, offer a COVID-19 refresher training, and ask how the pandemic is affecting their lives.
It was during this most recent visit that Paulo shared his story of how the coronavirus has impacted his life. With his two young children hanging on his every word - and maybe an arm or two - Paulo spoke plainly and patiently about the changes the pandemic has brought to him, his family, and his community.
Video Part 1: Water - Paulo reflects on the changes clean water has brought to his community since the protection of Marko Mutamba Mumuli Spring.
Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Betty Muhongo Likhanga met Paulo outside his home to conduct the interview. Both Betty and Paulo observed social distancing and other precautions throughout the visit to ensure their health and safety. Their questions and answers have been edited for clarity and length.
Video Part 2: Training & Prevention - Paulo shares how his community is putting into practice what they learned from our team's COVID-19 sensitization training.
What is one thing that has changed in your community since the protection of Marko Mutamba Mumuli Spring?
"We no longer suffer from waterborne diseases, and it takes less time to draw water unlike when the water point was not installed."
How has having a clean water point helped you through the pandemic so far?
"The community members have been using the water from the spring to wash their hands and other water uses."
Paulo fetches water from one of the spring's 2 discharge pipes.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Kenya, has fetching water changed for you because of restrictions, new rules, or your concerns about the virus?
"There is no overcrowding at the spring as we need to observe social distancing. The number of times one draws water has also increased as a lot of water is used for handwashing in every household to prevent infection of COVID-19."
Paulo fills his family's handwashing container with water from Marko Mutamba Mumuli Spring.
How has COVID-19 impacted your family?
"Our children are not going to school because of this pandemic. It's also difficult for a parent to have close monitoring of the children, especially teenagers."
What other challenges are you experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic?
"We are not able to go church which is a challenge, especially for me because I am a pastor."
Paulo washes his hands with soap and clean water from Marko Mutamba Mumuli Spring using the leaky tin handwashing station he set up outside his house.
What hygiene and sanitation steps have you and your community taken to stop the spread of the virus?
"We have improvised handwashing stations at our homes. We have encouraged community members to wash their hands so often for at least 20 seconds."
Camera operator Allan Amadaro talks with Paulo during the interview.
Like most governments around the world, the Kenyan government continues to set and adjust restrictions both nationally and regionally to help control the spread of the disease.
What restriction were you most excited to see lifted already?
"Worship places are open, so people can now go to church and worship but while maintaining the rules and regulations put in place."
What restriction are you still looking forward to being lifted?
"The opening of schools."
Paulo's son was all smiles in front of the camera.
When asked where he receives information about COVID-19, Paulo listed the radio, television, and our team's sensitization training.
What has been the most valuable part of the COVID-19 sensitization training you received from our team?
"One, washing hands so often for at least 20 seconds helps prevent the spread of Covid-19, and two, wearing of masks when visiting social gatherings also helps to prevent the spread of the virus."
May, 2020: COVID-19 Prevention Training Update at Mumuli Community, Marko Mutamba Mumuli Spring
We are carrying out awareness and prevention trainings on the virus in every community we serve. Very often, our teams are the first (and only) to bring news and information of the virus to rural communities like Mumuli, Kenya.
Community member addresses the group at training
We trained more than 34 people on the symptoms, transmission routes, and prevention of COVID-19. Due to public gathering concerns, we worked with trusted community leaders to gather a select group of community members who would then relay the information learned to the rest of their family and friends.
Community member reads an informational pamphlet on COVID-19
We covered essential hygiene lessons:
- Demonstrations on how to build a simple handwashing station
- Proper handwashing technique
- The importance of using soap and clean water for handwashing
- Cleaning and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces including at the water point.
Explaining how to observe social distancing while waiting to fetch water at the spring
We covered COVID-19-specific guidance in line with national and international standards:
- Information on the symptoms and transmission routes of COVID-19
- What social distancing is and how to practice it
- How to cough into an elbow
- Alternative ways to greet people without handshakes, fist bumps, etc.
- How to make and properly wear a facemask.
A man holds the reminder chart with prevention measures listed
During training, we installed a new handwashing station with soap near the community’s water point, along with a sign with reminders of what we covered.
Question and answer session
Due to the rampant spread of misinformation about COVID-19, we also dedicated time to a question and answer session to help debunk rumors about the disease and provide extra information where needed.
The Village Administrator address the group at training
We continue to stay in touch with this community as the pandemic progresses. We want to ensure their water point remains functional and their community stays informed about the virus.
Springs are water sources that come from deep underground, where the water is filtered through natural layers until it is clean enough to drink. Once the water pushes through the surface of the Earth, however, outside elements like waste and runoff can contaminate the water quickly. We protect spring sources from contamination with a simple waterproof cement structure surrounding layers of clay, stone, and soil. This construction channels the spring’s water through a discharge pipe, making water collection easier, faster, and cleaner. Each spring protection also includes a chlorine dispenser at the waterpoint so community members can be assured that the water they are drinking is entirely safe. Learn more here!
Rehabilitation Project
