Goal: To provide safe, climate resilient water supply in arsenicprone regions

Summary/Activities: In Cambodia, along the Mekong River, climate change and the overexploitation of the aquifers for irrigation has led to water scarcity. This has forced communities to drill deeper wells in order to access water. In Cambodia, a significant percentage of the population also lives in arsenic prone areas which has impacts water safety and poses a direct threat to human health. In order to counteract this problem, UNICEF in collaboration with the Government of Cambodia, is supporting an innovative partnership between local entrepreneurs, the government and local NGO, GRET. The programme is working to substitute household-owned groundwater wells with commune-wide piped water supply systems which collect and treat surface water from the Mekong River or its tributaries. The water intakes are usually set up on a floating platform, ensuring that river fluctuations do not affect the systems. Water treatment plants consist of a series of chambers that facilitate the sedimentation of solids in suspension and reduce turbidity. Water is then treated with Aluminium Sulphate and chlorine, for extra safety, before being distributed via pipes to all households. Households pay a small amount for their piped water to local entrepreneurs, who then invest some of the profits in the construction of new infrastructure and maintenance of the systems, which helps ensure their long-term sustainability. The treatment plants are elevated from the ground and pipes are also buried in order to prevent any potential damaged caused by flooding. The systems also provide a vital source of safe water during the dry seasons, thus making them resilient to extreme climatic conditions caused by droughts or flooding.

More info: http://unicefcambodia.blogspot.com/2016/02/entrepreneurship-supports-clean-water.html