Evidence Action: Dispensers for safe water in rural and poor areas

An effort to clean water in rural and poor areas

The Problem

Globally, about 2 million people still die each year from water, sanitation, and hygiene-related causes, often as a result of unsafe water. However, access is not enough. The water often becomes unsafe in transit, or when stored, even when it is initially safe to drink at the well. Previous efforts to market solutions and pay-for-water schemes have resulted in unsatisfactory results.

The Solution

Evidence for Action has devised a seemingly simple solution to the problem of unsafe water in rural and remote communities. They place free chlorine dispensers in the immediate vicinity of wells and other water sources. Community members go to their water source to fetch water, place their bucket or jerrican under the dispenser, and then fill the bucket with water. Studies have shown that chlorine drinking water treatment reduced the risk of child diarrhea by 29%. Now, the dispensers have been providing sustained access of dispensers to 258,000 Kenyans, 650,000 Malawians, and 1.8 million Ugandans.

Stage of Development

  • Early Stage
  • Established Prototype
  • Scaling
  • Other

Organization to Receive Funds

Evidence Action

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