Household-level point-of-use water filtration system in Haiti : strategies for program management and sustainability

Abstract

The traditional approach of providing safe drinking water supplies through centralized large-scale systems has proven ineffective, costly, and elusive, particularly in serving the needs of rural populations in developing countries. The focus of safe water provision in developing countries is steadily shifting to the use of a body of smaller-scale point-of-use technologies, in which water is treated by its end user, that are cheaper, more appropriate for such contexts, and locally controlled. Oift of Water, Inc., (OWl), is a Florida-based non-profit organization that has been developing and implementing point-of-use household-level water purification projects in Haiti since its inception six years ago. In addition to providing seven Haitian communities with inexpensive point-of-use treatment systems for use in individual homes, OWl trains and actively supports a network of community technicians who are responsible for monitoring and troubleshooting filter programs, and for educating community members in the use of OWl's systems. This thesis reviews the development of OWl's programs in Haiti, recommends strategies for program management, and suggests mechanisms for ensuring program sustainability.