BHANDARA (Maharashtra): Safe Water Network, a not-for-profit organization today launched their 200th Safe Water Station in the city. This iJal water station is also the first station funded by Oracle, the American Fortune 100 software company. This joint initiative with Oracle will support 4 Safe Water Stations to provide safe drinking water access to approximately 15,000 people over a period of one year in an area that suffers acute groundwater contamination from fluoride and total dissolved solids (TDS)
Rajendra Tripathi, Senior Manager, Oracle Corporate Citizen-ship – India said, “63.4 million people in rural India lack access to clean water, and available surface water has high levels of microbial and chemical contamination. Acute ground water contamination causes debilitating health problems like fluorosis – mottling of teeth, pain in bones and joints, crippling skeletal deformity, and stunting in children.”
“Oracle is supporting Safe Water Network India in setting up four water treatment plants (iJal stations) that will provide safe water access to about 15,000 people. These efforts will help improve health and reduce the risk of cholera, diarrhoea, fluorosis and other water-borne diseases in Bhandara district, Maharashtra, where residents depend on ground water for drinking and cooking.”, he added.
The locally-owned and locally-operated Safe Water Stations deploy state-of-the-art six-step treatment process, including multi-stage reverse osmosis treatment system to remove contaminants like fluoride and dissolved solids, are monitored remotely through remote monitoring system that guarantee less than two-percent down-time, and their 360-degree consumer activation program ensure community engagement at all levels for social, financial and environmental sustainability.
This treated water complies with National water quality norms. Safe Water Network provides water access to over 700,000 beneficiaries in India alone and has set up 200 Safe Water Stations across Telangana, Bhandara district of Maharashtra and Western UP as a part of the Safe Water Network’s affordable safe drinking water program for poor.
Ravindra Sewak, Country Director, Safe Water Network said, “We are committed to ensuring communities have access to safe water, especially for the poor. We focus on ensuring sustainability by building local capabilities to operate the iJal water stations and mobilizing strong grassroots community support. Together with Oracle, we will be improving the lives of communities here in Bhandara. In doing so, we are also helping to demonstrate the potential of Safe Water Stations for millions more.”
A series of activation events, including door-to-door consumer awareness, village-level meetings, live demonstrations of water quality, and the use of audio visuals, help raise awareness and drive safe water adoption. Engagement at all levels of the targeted community for social, financial, and environmental sustainability ensure the continued success of the program.
Ravindra Sewak further added, “We wish to work in alignment with local government to empower local youth to come forward to operate and manage their water treatment plants so that communities benefit from reliable access to potable water sustainably.”
- Safe Water Network created the iJal brand, which has become a symbol of trust for communities and is recognized by households for reliable and affordable safe water.
Safe Water Stations installed at various locations within Bhandara district through CSR grants from BHEL and Macquarie already cater to potable water needs of more than 35,000 people. Safe Water Network aims to build 300 iJal Safe Water Stations, in the three states providing access to one million (1000,000) people by 2019.
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