Water

Rainwater harvesting systems are useful in areas of Africa where rainfall is frequent and access to running water is limited. The idea is simple: Rainwater is collected from the roof of a building, where it flows through gutters into a collection tank where it is filtered and stored for later use. The systems are low in cost, easy to set up and can provide a reliable source of clean water to a lot of people. The cost is typically between $1500-$4000 depending on the size of the tank and type of mounting.

Reserve water tank systems are useful for areas of Africa that have periodic loss of access to water.  They allow the storing of water from rainwater harvesting systems, pump driven wells, and running public water systems. Piping from the bottom of the tank is used for gravity-assisted outflow of water. These systems are low in cost, easy to set up and can provide a reliable source of clean water to a lot of people. The cost is typically between $2000-$5000 depending on the size of the tank and type of mounting.

Wells are useful in areas where clean water is inaccessible. They provide safe drinking water for approximately 250-500 people.  Installing a well requires drilling rigs to reach depths of 35-70 meters and the cost is starts at around $10,000. Surveying is done beforehand and in most cases is makes finding water successful on the first attempt.