Ebutingo Community

Project Status

Project Type: Protected Spring

Regional Program: Western Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 350 Served

Project Phase: In Service - Oct 2024

Functionality Status: Functional

Project Features

Click icons to learn about each feature.

The 350 people of Ebutingo struggle to safely and efficiently access water. The unprotected spring they rely on is in serious need of repairs before community members can have the confidence of knowing they are collecting and drinking safe, reliable water.

"The spring is situated on a place that has a gradual slope, but the place is slippery, especially during the rainy season. The waterpoint is really prone to contamination because, through the headwall, there is water seeping. [It] is visible, causing the headwall to appear blackish. The stairwell is also damaged and is difficult for some of the children and community members to use. It [has] even [been] reported that most of them fall or slip because the stairwell is too high," said our field officer Joy Ongeri when describing why the spring needs reconstruction.

Joy continued, "The community members pleaded for help and asked [for] the spring [to] be well constructed to prevent contamination and also the stairwell and drawing point to be well constructed so that they are able to fetch water much more easily."

8-year-old Ivan (shown below) echoed Joy's sentiments when he shared what collecting water from the spring was like for him. He noted that the stagnant water in the collection box made the stairs and spring floor become slippery and caused him and other community members to slip and fall.

Not only is spring access dangerous because of how slippery it is, but community members risk contracting waterborne illnesses by drinking the dysfunctional spring's water. Its clear appearance makes it seem deceivingly safe, but the water is contaminated. When people become ill, they must seek medical treatment, which depletes their limited resources and steals from other important things like education, food security, and progress in their daily lives.

"I incur economic hardship, especially when my family and I get sick with amoeba, and my son with stomach upsets," said 23-year-old farmer Ashleyne Cleophas, shown above.

The protection of the spring will enable people like Ashleyne and young Ivan to focus on improving their daily lives instead of risking their health to collect water.

The Proposed Solution, Determined Together...

At The Water Project, everyone has a part in conversations and solutions. We operate in transparency, believing it benefits everyone. We expect reliability from one another as well as our water solutions. Everyone involved makes this possible through hard work and dedication.

In a joint discovery process, community members determine their most advantageous water solution alongside our technical experts. Read more specifics about this solution on the What We're Building tab of this project page. Then, community members lend their support by collecting needed construction materials (sometimes for months ahead of time!), providing labor alongside our artisans, sheltering and feeding the builders, and supplying additional resources.

Water Access for Everyone

This water project is one piece in a large puzzle. In Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Uganda, we're working toward complete coverage of reliable, maintained water sources that guarantee public access now and in the future within a 30-minute round trip for each community, household, school, and health center. One day, we hope to report that this has been achieved!

Training on Health, Hygiene & More

With the community's input, we've identified topics where training will increase positive health outcomes at personal, household, and community levels. We'll coordinate with them to find the best training date. Some examples of what we train communities on are:

Improved hygiene, health, and sanitation habits
Safe water handling, storage & treatment
Disease prevention and proper handwashing
Income-generation
Community leadership, governance, & election of a water committee
Operation and maintenance of the water point

Chlorine Dispensers

Installing chlorine dispensers is an important piece of our spring protection projects. Protecting a spring provides community members with an improved water source, but it doesn’t prevent contamination once the water is collected and stored. For example, if the water is clean and the container is dirty, the water will become contaminated.

We ensure that each chlorine dispenser is filled with diluted chlorine on a consistent schedule so that people can add pre-measured drops to each container of water they collect. That way, community members can feel even more confident in the quality of their water.

Project Updates

October, 2024: Ebutingo Community Spring Protection Complete!

Your contribution has made access to clean water for the Ebutingo Community possible!

We transformed their spring into a flowing source of naturally filtered water. A chlorine dispenser was installed to provide added protection and we trained the community on improved sanitation and hygiene practices. Together, these components will unlock the opportunity for community members to thrive!

"This waterpoint gives me and my family assurance that we will not contract any waterborne illness and we will reduce the cost of going to a health care facility to get treatment and medication so that I can use the money to invest in my children schooling," said farmer Ashlyne Joy, 28.

Ashlyne at the spring.

Children were just as excited as adults about clean water access!

Ivan collecting water.

"This waterpoint is helpful because my parents will not get any illnesses for drinking this water, which will enable my parents to be able to go to work or farm so we do not lack money for us to use. I will be able to save time in fetching water so that I may be able to use it to go study or even go to school early so that I do not get to school late and be punished for lateness," said 11-year-old Ivan.

Preparing for Spring Protection

Community members worked together to source all locally available construction materials for the spring. These included bricks, sand, stones, and fencing poles. Because people have to carry most items by hand, the material-collection process can take anywhere from a few weeks to months.

Community members helping.

When the community was ready, we delivered the remaining construction materials, including cement, plastic tarps, and hardware. Then our construction artisan and field officers deployed to the spring to begin work.

Protecting the Protecting the Spring: A Step-by-Step Process

First, we excavated the spring area. This includes digging a drainage channel below the spring and several runoff diversion channels above and around the spring to help divert surface contaminants away.

To ensure community members could still access water throughout the construction process, we also dug temporary channels around the construction site to allow water to continue to flow. Excavation created space for setting the spring's foundation.

Starting brickwork.

After establishing the base, made of thick plastic, wire, concrete and waterproof cement, we started brickwork to build the spring walls and stairs. Once the walls were tall enough, we began one of the most crucial steps: setting the discharge pipe. The discharge pipe needs to be positioned low enough so the water level never rises above the spring's eye, yet high enough to allow room for the average collection container (20-liters) to sit beneath the pipe without making contact, to prevent cross-contamination.

If we place the pipe too high, back pressure could force water to emerge elsewhere. Too low, and community members would not be able to access the water easily.

In coordination with the walls and stairs, we cemented stones on both sides of the spring's drainage channel. These stones discourage people and animals from standing in that area, which could cause soil erosion and a clogged drainage area.

Backfilling the spring box area.

We then cemented and plastered the spring walls. These finishing layers reinforce the brickwork and prevent water in the reservoir from seeping through. In turn, enough pressure builds to push water out through the discharge pipe.

As the walls cured, we finished the stairs and installed tiles beneath the discharge pipe. The tiles protect the concrete from the falling water's erosive force.

We redirected the temporary diversion channels back into the reservoir box and closed all other exits to force water through only the discharge pipe. We filled the reservoir area with the large, clean stones arranging them in layers like a well-fitting puzzle. We covered the rocks with thick plastic and piled enough dirt on top to compensate for future settling.

Adding fencing.

Community members transplanted grass to help prevent erosion and the collection area was fenced. The fence prevents people or animals from walking in the area above the spring, as compaction of this area can potentially compromise water quality.

The construction process took about two weeks of work and patience. As soon as the spring was ready, people got the okay from their local field officers to fetch water.

The completed spring.

We officially gave ownership of the waterpoint to the Ebutingo Community.

Happiness and thanksgiving flowed in all directions!

Training on Health, Hygiene, and More

Together with the community, we found their preferred date for training. When the day arrived, facilitators Joyce Naliaka, Joy Ongeri, Mercy Odongo, and Faith Muthama deployed to the site to lead the event. 32 people attended the training, including 23 women and 9 men.

We discussed personal, oral, and environmental hygiene, emphasizing proper water handling, soap-making, and the ten steps of handwashing. We also highlighted the importance of primary health care and covered the operation and maintenance of the water point, as well as leadership and governance. By the end of the training, each participant had a clear understanding of their role in maintaining clean water and promoting good health within their community.

We held an election for the newly formed water user committee who will oversee the maintenance of the spring. We brainstormed income-generating activities and encouraged them to start a group savings account for future minor repairs to the spring.

Nelson.

"I was able to learn and find soapmaking interesting because it was my first time to know how to make soap where I identified the ingredients and the process step by step, " said 50-year-old farmer Nelson Pamba, the elected Chairperson of the Water User Committee.

Thank you for making all of this possible!

September, 2024: Ebutingo Community Spring Protection Underway!

The lack of adequate water in the Ebutingo Community costs people time, energy, and health every single day. Clean water scarcity contributes to community instability and diminishes individuals’ personal progress.

Thanks to your recent generosity, things will soon improve here. We are working to install a reliable water point and improve hygiene standards. We look forward to sharing inspiring news soon!

Project Type

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!