Project Status



Project Type:  Protected Spring

Regional Program: Western Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 217 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Jan 2025

Functionality Status:  Functional

Project Features


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Community Profile

Report Submitted by
Elvine Atsieno, IT Assistant

In the Buloma Community, 217 people struggle to access safe water at their once-protected spring, their only water source. Though this community is known for being incredibly unified, what currently brings them together is an overwhelming water crisis.

"Collecting water from this water point is very difficult. There is no staircase, making it difficult for users to collect water. The drawing point is also damaged, and there is standing water at the drawing point, which is very dangerous. When this spring is redone, access will be improved," said field officer Elvine Ekesa.

Community members risk their safety every time they must fetch water; for some households, that's up to ten times a day. Children and adults alike risk falling into the stagnant water that sits under the collection pipe.

"When we come to collect water from this waterpoint, we step in the water, and sometimes we get bit by small insects inside the water. This scares us [the] most, and sometimes when asked to collect water, we refuse out of fear because stepping in this stagnant water at the drawing is unsafe," said 12-year-old Mitchell M., shown above collecting water.

However, accessing water from this spring isn't the only risk. Even though the water looks clear coming out of the pipe, it breeds waterborne disease that, when consumed, often makes people sick.

"I get sick sometimes after drinking water from this water point, and this affects me in my farming activities because you can't work in your garden when feeling unwell. [I] am kindly requesting that you repair this spring so that we can get access to clean water. This will help me and the entire community," shared 46-year-old farmer Winfridah Mwanje Tuma, seen below.

Many community members' livelihood is put at risk when they get sick as they rely on as much time as possible at their farms. If they don't work, they can't provide for their families. When resources are already extremely limited, families get stuck in a cycle of poverty.

Protecting the spring will enable people like Mitchell to collect water without fear and people like Winifridah to prioritize their farms and provide for their families. With access to safe water, the people of Buloma Community will have a chance to create a brighter future.

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


January, 2025: Buloma Community Spring Protection Complete!

Your contribution has made access to clean water for the Buloma 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!

We asked 29-year-old Caroline Owiti how this newly protected water source would impact her life. She said, "Diseases like cholera have been rampant, but now I am positive that things will change. Also, low income. I hope to use this water point to do projects like vegetables and arrow[roots] for cash crops to improve my livelihood."

Caroline at the spring.

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

Bright.

"Having water that is safe and reliable means that I will not have to miss school because of being sick; being at school always will make me concentrate on my studies to better my grades," shared seven-year-old Bright.

Preparing for Spring Protection

Community members worked together to source all locally available construction materials for the spring, including 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.

A community member lending a hand to gather materials!

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.

Laying the foundation for the spring's protection.

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 pipes. The discharge pipes need 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.

Setting the discharge pipes.

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

Setting stones to protect the spring.

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.

Plastering the walls and stairs.

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.

Placing tiles to prevent erosion.

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.

Backfilling the reservoir.

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 spring is protected!

We officially gave ownership of the waterpoint to Buloma 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 Elvine Atsieno, Joy Ongeri, Joan Tirop, Jacqueline Kangu, Edmond Otieno, and Mercy Odongo deployed to the site to lead the event. 18 people attended the training, including 16 women and two men.

Training session.

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.

This training was a success! Many community members enjoyed the soapmaking and handwashing lessons. Soap was once only bought in the community and now they have the tools and knowledge to make their own, making hygiene more accessible and the community healthier.

Juliana in the spring.

Juliana Magokha, a 32-year-old farmer, shared her favorite part of the training: "Soapmaking. I loved watching the soapmaking process. I didn't know how it was made, but usually, I buy it from the market. From today onwards, they will be buying it from me because I will be making soap to improve my livelihood."

Thank you for making all of this possible!




December, 2024: Exciting Progress in Buloma Community!

We’re thrilled to share that, thanks to your generous support, significant change is coming for Mitchell and the entire Buloma Community. Construction has begun on the spring protection project, bringing them one step closer to having clean, reliable water.

But that's not all—during construction, we’re also providing vital health training. These sessions equip the community with essential hygiene practices, ensuring that the benefits of clean water extend to lasting health improvements.

We’re so grateful for your role in making this possible. Stay tuned for more updates—soon, we’ll be celebrating the arrival of safe water in Buloma Community!




Project Photos


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!


Contributors

7 individual donor(s)