Protected Spring
Rehabilitation Project
The 165 people in the Lukume Community rely on the unprotected spring of Alphonce Musee as their only water source. The collection area is dirty, the floor and stairs are damaged, and there is stagnant water sitting around the spring. Even though the water community members collect looks clear, the residue left in jerrycans tells a different story.
The health toll is real.
The unprotected spring.
"Community members frequently experience abdominal pain and diarrhea, which they attribute to the water sources. There are also reported cases of typhoid within the community, a disease commonly associated with unsafe drinking water," reported Field Officer Rachael Obura.
Most families have resorted to boiling their water just to make it drinkable, but that's a band-aid fix, not a real solution. But poor health is not the only result of consuming the spring water. People's valuable time is also wasted.
Waiting to collect water from the spring.
People struggle just to access water in a reasonable amount of time. Overcrowding at the single spring adds another layer of difficulty. With no other water sources available, everyone depends on the same broken-down spot, which makes wait times longer and the problem harder to manage. It leaves them little time to handle their other daily responsibilities.
Blessing, 13, has the daily chore of collecting water from the spring to meet her family's daily water needs. She doesn't mind the responsibility, but it takes her so long that she misses out on other important things, like studying for school and singing practice.
"During weekends, we make many trips to collect water for household use for the week. Long queues at the water source make fetching water take so long. Many people use this spring during prolonged droughts and on weekends when most children are at home," she said.
"I love singing," Blessing exclaimed. When we asked her what she would do if she didn't have to waste so much of her time waiting to collect water on the weekends, she said, "I would spend that time in [the] church choir for practices."
But wasting time on the weekends is not Blessing's only hardship. During the week when she needs more water before school, it continues to consume her time and energy.
"Fetching water early makes me late for school, and I get punished. It also makes me tired, so I cannot concentrate well in class, and my exam scores are affected. I plan to work hard in school and become a doctor to help my community prevent and treat waterborne illnesses," Blessing lamented.
Blessing and her community clearly need more than a patch-up — they need a properly rehabilitated water point that's safe, accessible, and built to last.
Steps Toward a Solution
Our technical experts worked with the local community to identify the most effective solution to their water crisis. They decided to safeguard the existing flowing spring.
Spring Protection
Springs are natural water sources that originate from deep underground. As water travels through various layers of the earth, it undergoes a natural filtration process, making it cleaner and safer to drink. To protect these spring sources from contamination, we construct a waterproof cement structure around layers of clay, stone, and soil. This design channels the spring water through a discharge pipe, facilitating easier, faster, and cleaner water collection.
Chlorine Dispenser
As an extra measure towards water quality safety, uniquely engineered chlorine dispensers are installed at all of our spring protection projects so community members can treat their water with pre-measured doses of chlorine. The chlorine treats any possible contamination and stays active for two to three days, ensuring water stays safe to use even when stored at home. Chlorine delivery and maintenance of the dispensers are part of our ongoing community support.
Community Education & Ownership
Hygiene and sanitation training are integral to our water projects. Training is tailored to each community's specific needs and includes key topics such as proper water handling, improved hygiene practices, disease transmission prevention, and care of the new water point. Safe water and improved hygiene habits foster a healthier future for everyone in the community.
Encouraged and supported by our team's guidance, the community elects a water user committee representative of its diverse members. This committee assumes responsibility for maintaining the water point, organizing community efforts, and gathering fees to ensure its upkeep.
