Since 2008, we have worked with communities in Ghana and India to develop locally owned and managed Safe Water Stations.
Field Insight Series
Each Field Insight describes a challenge we faced, the approach we took to address it, and the observed results. This effort is central to our mission to build a fact base for what works, what doesn't and why in water projects.
Ghana
August 24, 2018
This Field Insight examines the ways in which prepaid, mobile-money-enabled meters for household connections improve station financial viability and consumer satisfaction.
Ghana
March 14, 2018
This Field Insight examines the impact of price increases on station performance and inclusiveness in Ghana. Fifteen months after an April 2016 price increase, analysis suggests that sales volumes are on the road to recovery. Furthermore, convenience and socio-economic status appear to be key contributors to consumer resilience in the face of such price changes.
Ghana
March 15, 2017
Investing in solar power improves station financial viability and supports affordable pricing to reach more consumers. Solar power generation via a photovoltaic (PV) system provides reliable electricity for water purification and reduces operating costs compared to powering the station via the electric utility grid or diesel generators. Our evidence suggests that PV systems can contribute to the long-term sustainability of providing water to rural and peri-urban communities in Ghana.
India
September 16, 2015
Our Safe Water Stations are sustainable businesses that deliver reliable and affordable safe water. This Field Insight describes how Safe Water Network's Water Resource Management team in India measured the hydrologic footprint of multiple Stations in a micro-watershed to ensure that environmental requirements are also used to inform evaluation, site assessment, and the potential of Station operators and field staff to promote efficient water resource use.
India
April 1, 2015
This Field Insight seeks to provide a better understanding of financial sustainability of
reverse osmosis (RO) water systems, using examples from our Stations in India.
India
October 16, 2014
Safe Water Network and regional NGO, Modern Architects of Rural India (MARI), confronted challenges and organizational differences to tailor a solution for local needs. The result: a market-based model rolled out to 55 branded Safe Water Stations.
Ghana
March 19, 2014
A review of two case studies provides insights on the potential to successfully manage water systems across multiple communities. Key success factors include sufficient local capacity, transparency between parties, and clarity of roles and responsibilities.
Ghana
March 15, 2014
A low-cost surface water treatment solution for low-income rural communities relying on certain types of microbially contaminated surface water.
India
September 15, 2013
Treating people as consumers rather than beneficiaries is key to long-term success.
India
September 15, 2013
Improving trial and adoption rates through the use of consumer packaged goods marketing and research.
India
September 15, 2013
Convenience is a key factor to consistent safe-water usage. We tested a range of distribution networks to demonstrate the positive impact of making water more accessible.
Ghana
April 15, 2013
Adding new pipeline-connected points of sale to our Ghana water systems doubled volume and improved system economics.
Insights and Engagements Market Review Intro
Sector Review
We conduct country-wide assessments in Ghana and India to understand the progress of programs and projects addressing affordable, safe-water access to identify opportunities to advance these solutions and foster best practices.
Spotlights
Ghana
Loan Financing
This Spotlight report details two case studies from our Ghana portfolio, showing how we maximized operational efficiency to improve our repayment capacity and and designed a loan structure that is well suited to fluctuations in cash flow and other risks that impact the small water enterprise sector. Our experience not only spurred innovation but also pushed us to implement rigorous financial data tracking.
India
Improving the Performance of Decentralized Water Purification Systems
This Spotlight report serves as an overview of Safe Water Network’s technical assistance and training engagement with the Government of Karnataka, India—a project that covers 18,000 plants, aimed at serving 40 million people with safe, affordable water.
Small Water Enterprises: Transforming Women from Water Carriers to Water Entrepreneurs
This report advances the case for small water enterprises and identifies the ways in which they can benefit the lives of women and their families.
India
Protocols and Tools for Scaling Small Water Enterprises: iJal Station Water Safety
This Spotlight report describes the results of station assessments conducted in collaboration with global safety science firm UL, using a Station Assessment Framework that included standard operating procedures, protocols, and tools.
Ghana
Ghana Water Enterprise Trust: Structuring for Growth and Sustainability
This document describes the organization's continued work to develop a Ghana Water Enterprise Trust, a dedicated Ghanaian funding and oversight vehicle that will provide long-term governance, financial stewardship, and funding for small water enterprises.
Assessments
India
An Impact Assessment of Safe Water Interventions in 154 Communities in Telangana State
This assessment, commissioned by the Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation, examines 154 iJal Safe Water Stations in Telangana, India in order to understand barriers to the scale of water enterprises in India and provide essential data on consumer perception of such enterprises.
India
Expansion of Safe Drinking Water 'iJal Stations' in Telangana: Cost-Effective, Replicable, Sustainable Service Delivery
This report captures how Honeywell India's CSR intervention has transformed the lives of the people in the 25 quality-affected habitations of Telangana and adjoining areas where treated water is currently made available at iJal stations for the walk-in consumer and for distant locations through distribution facilities.
India
Impact Assessment Report: Bhandara, India
This impact assessment report, created by Safe Water Network and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences on behalf of Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL), evaluates the impact of BHEL-funded iJal Safe Water Stations (using reverse osmosis treatment technology and equipped with a remote monitoring system) built in ten villages in the Bhandara district of Maharastra, India.
THE RESOURCE CENTER
Visit our Small Water Enterprise Resource Center, a curated space that compiles the growing number of publications and resources relevant to our approach.
