In many areas in Kenya, access to clean drinking water is lacking. About 88% of the population has to put back long distances to the next water source or is forced to drink contaminated water. Particularly children suffer from water borne diseases.
For the first time an environment-friendly and independent water treatment plant of Trunz Water Systems offers a long-lasting solution for decentralized potable water supply in Kenya. The children’s village Diani, which is situated some 35km south of Mombasa and currently houses 22 children and their staff, is familiar with the problem of contaminated water. At the children’s home the staff cares for the basic needs of the orphans and neglected or abandoned children. It includes the improvement of the children’s health, for example by providing clean drinking water for daily needs.
For demonstration of the effectiveness of germ-free drinking water, the official dealer of Trunz Water Systems, Tomash International, installed its water trailer equipped with a Trunz Water System 200 at disposal to the children’s village.
The water treatment plant mounted on a trailer is powered by renewable energy and operates independent of any power source. Solar panels and a wind generator produce enough energy to operate the water treatment plant. The plant supplies the children’s village sufficiently with drinking water and has a capacity of 15,000l of drinking water per day.
In order to provide local inhabitants access to clean drinking water, a small water-shop has been opened. The local population can buy drinking water for two Kenyan shillings (KES) per litre. This is approximately 1 cent per litre. It is about ten times cheaper than the currently lowest price for water, which can be bought in 20l-tanks in stores. One quarter of the water-shop earnings (0.5 KES/litre) is being reinvested in the children’s education, for example in school fees.
The plant generates enough energy, on the one hand to operate the water system and on the other hand to illuminate the security lights in the children’s village.