An approach to ensure a sustainable solution

In order to guarantee the sustainability of the solution, it is essential to have a modus operandi which ensures that the operating and maintenance costs can be covered by the village in which the system is installed.
The approach which has been implemented is based on one of “entrepreneurship”, whereby the beneficiaries contribute by “purchasing” containers of purified water at a “market price”.

Small private operator ...

The approach is to create a genuine business which depends on the production and sale of drinking water. In addition to the economic benefits to the operator, he/she provides services to the village in the following ways:

• ensures that there is an adequate supply of water to be treated,
• produces purified water and bottles it in special 20 litre containers,
• distributes and sells these containers of water within the village:
  • at a price which is sufficiently low to make them affordable for the villagers
  • but which is sufficiently high to enable the operator and his/her family to live on the proceeds of the business and to cover the maintenance costs of the purification system.

Over the past 30 years, numerous “micro-finance” projects around the world have clearly demonstrated that, subject to being able to raise the initial capital, the best route out of poverty is through the encouragement of entrepreneurship and the creation of businesses. Even if many of these are small, they can generate sustainable economic benefits. The concept of “Small Private Operator” to produce clean drinking water for the benefit of his/her village is very consistent with this philosophy.

... supported by a local “1001 fontaines” organisation

In order to ensure the quality of the water and the ongoing maintenance of the purification system, there is a need for a local organisation to provide support to Small Private Operators in the following areas:

• prepare for the installation of the system and the launch of the Small Private Operator’s business with communication campaigns that explain the approach to the villagers,
• train the operator and pay his/her salary during the initial period of operation of the business,
• assist the operator with the running of the “fountain” (regular quality controls, provision of spare parts, support with the management of the system).

After a year of pilot operation and confirmation of the viability of the system, a contract is signed with the operator and a portion of the revenues arising from the sales of purified water is paid to the local “1001 fontaines” organisation in return for its assistance.