Solar Power Brings Water to Thirsty Nigerian Community

In a village facing water scarcity, generous locals with funds to spare are installing boreholes in their homes with pumps outside for other residents in the village to access clean, safe water.

To combat health and sanitary issues arising from high rates of open defecation and a lack of government support, community members worked together to fund and build 14 easily accessible toilets that are cleaned daily and open for anyone to use.

The Cherokee Nation is addressing long-standing water insecurity and infrastructure challenges through proactive investments triggered by the passage of the Wilma P. Mankiller & Charlie Soap Water Act. By shifting from emergency fixes to long-term planning, the tribe has funded targeted infrastructure upgrades, leveraged state and federal partnerships, and used precise data assessments to pinpoint urgent community needs.

Amidst water scarcity and increased waterborne diseases, community members are using sand dams, an innovative water management system, to conserve rainwater for daily use. Sand dams offer extended water storage capabilities, lasting up to a year, ensuring community members have consistent access to clean water for farming, cooking and general hygiene. There are currently six sand dams in the community serving 600 households.

The city of Bangalore is combining traditional well-building practices with modern wastewater treatment technology to address the local water crisis. By getting the community involved, they’ve bolstered forgotten wells, integrated advanced filtration systems and made significant progress towards a more sustainable future. One community alone has revitalized 200,000 manholes over the course of eight years.

Members of a water-insecure community mobilized to contribute a portion of their monthly stipends to repair and maintain the singular borehole providing water to the village. The community members — primarily women — also installed water taps throughout the community in locations like schools and mosques to ensure easy access to clean, safe drinking water.

The Conditional Cash Transfer program provides a monthly stipend to low-income individuals. The program was implemented in six local government areas and benefits over 48,000 people. Thanks to the funds from the program, several local women were able to pool their stipends together to repair their area’s only borehole to ensure locals have access to clean water.

Architect Kalpana Ramesh and the Rainwater Project, supported by Telangana's government, are restoring centuries-old abandoned stepwells as functional water sources by removing decades of accumulated garbage, rebuilding stone structures, and installing rainwater-harvesting systems. Since the first restoration was completed in December 2022, the well has consistently maintained a water depth of nine meters, even during the summer, providing clean water for the first time in 40 years. To date, 25 stepwells have been restored across Telangana.

The community-run Water Consumer Association in Adamawa manages and maintains a solar-powered borehole system installed in 2022 by Mercy Corps and WaterAid. Trained volunteers handle operations, repairs, and hygiene promotion while charging households each month for maintenance costs. Four years after installation, the system continues serving approximately 200 households with clean water. Community members also report less fear of disease from contaminated river sources.

The Filter X360 uses gravity to purify water without requiring any power supply or chemicals by using ultrafiltration technology to remove bacteria and viruses from fresh water sourced from nearby rivers, lakes and ponds. The machine can purify 1,000 liters per hour and reduces the risk of illness and also prevents locals from having to purchase bottled water or simply go without clean drinking water.