Water Blogged

Our implementing partner, the Ugandan Water Project, erected a 10,000-liter polyethylene tank on a base made of brick, hardcore, and cement. Once cured, the crew placed the tank on the base, created an overflow hole at the top of the structure, and attached a pipe to it that extends six inches beyond the perimeter of the base. Crew members also attached face boards to the roof of the building adjacent to the tank to create a suitable surface for attaching gutters that will allow water from the metal roof to flow to the tank. Just before the outlet pipe reaches the tank, a “T” joint was inserted to create a first flush, a rudimentary filtration system that reduces the amount of debris and contaminants that enter the tank. The crew then constructed a protective wall around the tank and a tap stand was located slightly downhill from the tank. The rainwater collection system will be paired with four Sawyer Point One water filters to ensure that all water collected from the tank will be safe for drinking.

– You brought clean water to a school with 33 staff, serving 600 students at the time of project installation
– Previously, students and staff fetched from ⁠an unreliable piped supply
– By bringing a rainwater collection system to facility grounds, we estimate that you eliminated up to 0.54 miles of walking and 30.00 hours of collection time per day!

Note: Time and distance calculations are based on the average number of 20 liter jerrycans that UWP rainwater collection systems can provide each day. We assume that every jerrycan fetched from the UWP rainwater collection system replaces one trip to the previous water source. Distance from the facility to the previous water source is calculated for a round trip as the crow flies, using GPS coordinates.

Thanks to Howell High School Interact Club in Michigan for supporting this project!