The October 2009 edition of PMI's PM Network Magazine highlights a project that is bringing self-sustaining water treatment plants to rural Rwanda. I am enthusiastic about this project because it is unique in both its technical and organizational approaches. The project is being conducted by The Manna Energy Foundation, which is installing more than 400 of its systems at secondary school locations.
Technically, the project is utilizing cutting edge sciences that cut down on the energy and funding needed to maintain the systems. Solar power provides the energy needed to run the systems, cell phone technology allows the team to monitor the systems from remote locations, and lasers are used to purify the water. The mechanism used for purifying water is drawn directly from processes used on the International Space Station to provide drinking water for the astronauts aboard. (Yet another of the multitude of everyday earthly benefits as a result of space exploration, but I digress.)
Organizationally, this project differs from most humanitarian development projects in that the water treatment systems generate continuing income through the award and sale of carbon credits. Usually projects of this nature are reliant upon one-time donor financing, causing the focus to be on the initial roll-out of the facility, instead of self-sustainment and the continuing operation of the facility. It is hoped that the revenue generated from the carbon credits will provide a built-in incentive to keep the water purifying systems running, and also fund other related projects, particularly human waste biogas generators.
This video, created by Manna, gives an overview of the project and drives home the compelling need for clean water world-wide.
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