WADI foundation

Regional disparity causes unequal access to safe water

The National Family Health Survey (2019- 2021) of India highlights a regional gap in water supply across the country: While access to drinking water from improved sources has increased in the surveyed 22 states compared to the National Family Health Survey (2015-20163), rural areas lag behind urban areas. The prevalence of waterborne diseases leads to an estimated economic burden of approximately USD 600 million per year in India. In Madhya Pradesh, the largest forest state of India endowed with diverse forest resources, more than 60% of households don’t treat their drinking water and another 28% rely on cloth filtration.  According to the National Family Health Survey (2019-20216), access to clean fuel in rural areas (23.6%) is also significantly behind urban areas (84.3%).

Safe water projects

WADI foundation follows a holistic project approach. We focus not just on providing communities with WADI as water treatment solution, we want to ensure that our projects generate real impact to all people involved. Therefore the basis of all our projects is built on 3 core principles:

Water for all

WADI is a solar-powered UV measuring device that visualises the process of solar water disinfection (SODIS) in transparent bottles. WADI is placed next to bottles that are filled with contaminated water and exposed to the sun. Once the process is completed, a smiley face on the WADI confirms that the water is safe to drink.

WADI is approved by the WHO and meets their microbiological performance criteria. Solar water disinfection (SODIS) describes a natural process in which the sun‘s UV radiation eliminates harmful pathogens in water, such as viruses, bacteria and protozoa. The SODIS method was explored and developed by the Swiss water research institute Eawag and is recognised by both the WHO and UNICEF.

Sustainable Project Design

WADi foundation has an established network of local implementation partners. In accordance with our “train the trainer” concept, community workers are trained to create sustainability, further adding value to the regions.

All participating households are visited and supported by our implementation teams regularly throughout the project. We create and organize inclusive group meetings to enable community members to exchange their experiences and encourage them to share their devices to help support as many people as possible. We also implement comprehensive recycling measures, ensuring all bottles that have reached the end of their life cycle are disposed of and recycled properly.

Long-lasting Impact

Our sustainable project design and the systematic change of water treatment at a household level ensures a reduction of water-borne diseases and thus leads to a reduction of health costs per family. The reduction of sick days also increases the number of days spent at school and at work. We work hard on improving health and well-being for children and young adults through sensitizing communities on the causes of waterborne diseases and supporting long-term behaviour change. We work in local schools, support the building of water tanks, encourage awareness raising competitions and campaigns.

All of our activities make a positive contribution to climate protection. By using WADI, the CO2 emissions of each family are drastically reduced, and the deforestation of important forests is prevented, as the water no longer has to be boiled with firewood. We plant fruit trees which enable further reduction of CO2 emissions as well as embody a source of either food for own consumption or as goods to sell. We passionately focus on women empowerment, making women primary providers of safe drinking water which elevates their standing within their families. With every project we aim to make a true and long-lasting impact for the communities involved.

Contact

 

" WADI Safe Water India Foundation" 

GF And FF, Worldmark L, Asset Area 11, Aerocity IGI Airport, New Delhi, DELHI 110037 

[email protected]