Ensuring Access to Clean and
Safe Water.

Bringing safe water within reach.

Water Taskforce

Building Food Security, Economic Resilience, and Environmental Sustainability

The Agriculture Division is also at the forefront of tackling the district’s water insecurity through an innovative, participative development model. Access to clean and safe water remains a critical challenge in Mt. Darwin, and the CDO has effectively integrated national programs with local community contributions to create sustainable and reliable water sources for farming and daily life.



Our Approach

  • Merging Government and Community Efforts

  • To increase access to clean water, the Agriculture Division has adopted a strategy that merges the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme with contributions from local communities. This innovative approach ensures sustainability, collective ownership of water resources, and reduces dependency on external aid.



Key Strategies

  • Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme

  • Leveraging the government’s Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme, the CDO secures essential drilling equipment and expertise to boreholes across Mt. Darwin. This initiative specifically targets rural areas experiencing the worst water insecurity, where safe water access is a critical need for both farming and domestic purposes.

  • Community Participation

  • A fundamental element of the CDO's strategy is the participative model, where communities contribute essential inputs such as diesel and casings for drilling. This partnership ensures that drilling efforts are cost-effective and encourages a sense of ownership, motivating local communities to maintain and manage their water points once operational.

  • Local Engagement and Empowerment

  • Involving communities in the process fosters collective responsibility for maintaining water systems. This participatory approach also supports the sustainability of boreholes, ensuring long-term access to water without the risk of abandonment or neglect.

Fighting Water Scarcity
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    Context

Mt. Darwin faces significant water challenges, with many areas lacking consistent access to clean water. The district experiences inconsistent rainfall, and low water tables in rural areas exacerbate the need for reliable water solutions.

  1. Water Access Challenges: Around 60% of the rural population still lacks consistent access to clean drinking water, relying on unsafe surface water sources like rivers and streams.
  2. Water-Borne Diseases: Limited access to safe water contributes to high rates of water-borne diseases, such as cholera and dysentery, placing immense pressure on local healthcare services.
  3. Gender Disparity in Water Collection: Women and children often walk long distances to fetch water from unsafe sources, which negatively impacts their health, education, and economic participation.

    Opportunities for Collaboration

  1. Expansion of Borehole Drilling Initiatives:There is opportunity to increase the number of boreholes drilled, ensuring more households have access to clean, safe water. Expanding this effort will help cover regions with the greatest water insecurity.
  2. Water Storage Solutions: : Investment in water storage tanks and rainwater harvesting systems would provide alternative solutions for inconsistent water supply, reducing dependence on boreholes alone and ensuring a more reliable water source during dry periods.
  3. Sustainable Water Management: Partners have the opportunity to support the implementation of sustainable water management practices, including the construction of water treatment facilities and community-based water monitoring systems to maintain clean water quality.
  4. Public Health Campaigns: Fund public health education initiatives aimed at improving hygiene practices and safe water consumption to reduce the spread of water-borne diseases and improve community health.
  5. Technology and Innovation: Technological partners can contribute innovative solutions, such as solar-powered pumps or low-cost filtration systems, to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of the water systems.
  6. Capacity Building for Local Communities: Investing in capacity-building programs for local water management committees would ensure that communities can independently maintain their water systems, securing long-term water access.

    Impact

  1. 7,000 Households have gained improved access to clean and safe water.
  2. 50% reduction in water-borne diseases and improved overall living standards.