Water Management

Access to clean, safe, drinkable water is critical to the Matangwe Region. Clean, safe, drinkable water prevents many water borne diseases. 

Current Access to Water

During the rainy season, a small amount of rainwater is collected (harvested) from the rooftops into large water containment tanks. This water is used by the Matangwe Hospital and local residents. However, it is only available during the rainy season and is limited by the number and size of the water tanks. Also, run-off water collects in the ponds and is collected and used by people and animals. Water in the ponds is not clean and is major source of diseases. Water is also hauled from a river 15 km away with a tractor and bowser (a wheeled water tank.) This has proven to be expensive due to the high cost of fuel, maintenance and repair of the tractor. All water from the roofs, ponds or river requires cost effective filtration and purification.

Purified Water 

Recently, the Kenyan Government installed a main water line that brings metered water every 2 or 3 days to the local communities. The hospital compound is now connected to this water line. This water is the sole source of pre-filtered water in the region. This line is not always available due to regular breakdowns that occur at the pumping station, water treatment plant and along the line.
 

Future Plans

Our plan is to install a large reservoir (tank) that will hold up to 150,000 cubic metres of water that can be collected through the rainy seasons and used during periods of drought. The water in this tank will be filtered and treated prior to consumption.

The water in this tank would be accessible to people in the local communities, who would purchase it from the hospital at a nominal cost. Water will be available for purchase by more distant communities, using the tractor and bowser for transportation. Funds from the sale of water will be used to sustain ongoing water availability and ongoing maintenance of the reservoir and hauling equipment.