Local solar-powered desalination technology provides access to clean drinking water for up to 35,000 people in the region every day
NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — GivePower, an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing clean water and clean power in developing regions around the world, was awarded the prestigious Energy Globe Award for its Solar Water Farm in Likoni, Kenya. Over 2,500 projects competed for top honors from 180 countries. GivePower won the national award for Kenya.
Likoni is a coastal community in the Mombasa area. Though Mombasa is the country’s second largest city, many Likoni residents lack access to reliable power and fresh water. Around 47 percent of Likoni residents live on less than $1 per day.
Commissioned in June of 2020, the Likoni Solar Water Farm Max is the third of six solar-powered desalination plants deployed by GivePower within the last three years. Powered by solar energy and battery storage, GivePower’s desalination systems are housed in 20-foot shipping containers and each Max system can transform up to 70,000 liters of brackish or seawater into clean, healthy drinking water for up to 35,000 people every day. Unlike most ground well systems, GivePower Solar Water Farms produce a higher quality of water over a longer period with virtually no negative environmental impact. The Likoni project remedies issues associated with local groundwater resources, which have high salinity levels in the area. Before the plant was built, Likoni residents were required to boil surface water, pay high prices for piped water, or transport water from distant locations. Globally, 2.2 billion people lack access to clean and affordable drinking water.
“Traditional water collection methods can cause illness, come at great expense and broadly undermine quality of life, particularly for women and girls often charged with fetching water supplies,” said Michele Magee, President of GivePower. “GivePower’s Likoni Solar Water Farm extends social, health and economic benefits to all community members by providing easy access to a safe and reliably managed water source. We are honored to see our critical work recognized by the Energy Globe Award.”
To date, the Likoni Solar Water Farm Max has distributed nearly 20 million liters of clean drinking water to the local community and has saved residents tens of thousands of dollars in water costs while improving water quality and safety. The installation supports the local economy by providing full-time work to eight residents and supplying local distributors with water. Across Kenya, GivePower employs 24 full-time workers. Proceeds from the water sales help to support staff salaries, equipment maintenance, and future projects in other communities.
About Likoni, Kenya
With a population of over 55 million, 41 percent of Kenyans do not have access to safe drinking water and 71 percent of Kenyans use unimproved sanitation solutions. These challenges are especially evident in the rural and low-income urban settlements like Likoni, where the average total cost for an unreliable water supply is more than $15 per month per household. In comparison, the average water bill of a typical household in Nairobi that is connected to a piped system is only $4.46 per month. This comparison highlights the economic burdens that often fall more heavily on unconnected rural customers and urban neighborhoods. Even those areas with piped connections often suffer from an inconsistent flow of water. The struggle for access to affordable, clean, potable water drives many to contaminated sources of water that bring illness and disease to these communities.
About GivePower
GivePower is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to extending the environmental and social benefits of clean, renewable energy around the globe. GivePower uses solar and battery storage technologies to deliver essential services to the developing world. The organization has helped bring clean power and clean water to underserved communities in 24 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Visit GivePower at www.givepower.org. Follow GivePower on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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