Biome ficci water

Better Water Accessfor

Better Rural Government Schools

Shubha Ramachandran

BIOME ENVIRONMENTAL TRUSTBANGALORE

Toilets : Not always used, water problems ! Big implication for girl child

Water required for Mid-day meals

Dead Assets : Suvarnajala RWH

What we saw ...

- Water availability is low, and the cause of many problems - (Fluoride contaminated) Ground water as a primary drinking water source is limited, inaccessible

- Govt. RWH attempts failed : Suvarnajala project in 26,000 schools with a Rs 30-40,000 budget per school.

- Low solution impact despite 80% of RWH infrastructure being provided. Water problems are complex

Water Problems are complex

- Technical know-how- Understanding usage patterns- Ecological sustainability- Policy- Community participation- Affordability

Water Problems are complex

Impact

EducationSanitationFoodHealth

Government

RWH: Suvarnajala : 26,000 schoolswith 30,000 to 50,000 in each school

Shortcomings

Connectedness and engagementEducation: water and sanitationTechnical support for RWHEnsuring potability

Solution Strategy

GOAL : Make RWH work sustainably, Improve Water Access

Costs: Attempt to leverage infrastructure provided by government. Recalculate when undersized

Community: Identify primary stakeholders, continued engagement and empowerment

Funding: Tap established relationships with Corporates, Volunteers, NGOs.

Sustainability: Long term engagement beyond implementation – education, training, feedback

Local Labour

Implementing RWH : Storage

Tanks filled Up after therains

Hand pump for Safe access

Bacteriological filter to ensure potability

Making Toilets functional

Handholding with maintenance

Students are engaged

Book reading

Hands on

Children as “Agents of Change”. Books as “Catalysts”

Training – Testing water for Fluoride

Taking Pride in their school

Practice to Policy Bridge

2008 2010

Rainwater Club

Biome Environmental Solutions Pvt. Ltd

Biome Environmental Trust


Rainwater Club Rainwater Club Rainwater Club

- RWH for Bangalore METRO, Corporates, etc- Responsible Water Use framework

RWH bye laws

In Rural Government Schools

- Equity Issues- Access Issues- Water Quality Issues

- Fluoride affected areas, North of Bangalore- Economically weaker sections- Modest start – with each child bringing a couple of bricks and sand- 25 projects so far

Program Overview

VILLAGE

Project Intervention - Team

School School Development Management Council

Contractor / Labour

SHG, ASHA Workers,

Aanganwadi

BIOME

Funders / Volunteers / Interns

* SHG – Self Help Group* ASHA – Accredited Social Health Activist

Block Education Officer

Project Intervention - Process

School approaches BIOME for help – word spreads from

schools

BIOME engages with SDMC to understand and Validate the requirement

BIOME engages with local contractor to identify

solution and cost estimates

BIOME adds the project to its list for funding and implementation

Funders/Volunteers approach

BIOME for help

BIOME links with appropriate school and ensures

implementation

Project Intervention - Process

School approaches BIOME for help –

word spreads from schools

BIOME engages with SDMC to understand and Validate the requirement

BIOME engages with local contractor to identify solution

and cost estimates

BIOME adds the project to its list for funding and implementation

Funders/Volunteers approachBIOME for help

BIOME links with appropriate School and ensures implementation

- BIOME stays connected with school to ensure maintenance and usage of system- learnings are carried forward

Project Intervention - Summary- RWH implementation

- Provision of hand pump for withdrawal of water

- Provision of Bacteriological water filter for making water potable

- Education around water and sanitation : Book readings

- Tree plantation enabled due to availability of water

- Handholding for maintenance

- Training and handholding for water testing

Project Impact : Socio-Economic

● Access to water for vulnerable/poor/rural children – 2500 children

● Increased awareness of need to conserve water● Improved Hygiene – toilets and kitchen● Water literacy – Testing for water quality, monitoring

rainfall● Local employment of about Rs.7.5 lakhs● Empowerment of SDMC, School staff● Volunteers – local and international

Project Impact - Environmental

● Reduced dependence on ground water to the tune of 3.7 to 7.4 Million litres annually.

● Lower water related energy consumption due to Rainwater Harvesting

● Tree plantation

Sustainability

Project Sustainability

. Empowered and concerned SDMC and staff• Local contractor

Program Sustainability• Documentation and creation of open knowledge

base for enabling coverage of all 52,000+ schools in Karanataka

• Proposal for improved processes and systems to be adopted into Government sponsored schemes

Biome Environmental Trust(Rainwater Club)

1022, 1st floor, 6th Block, HMT Layout, Vidyaranyapura,

Bangalore – 560 097, Phone : 080 41672790

Thank You !!

Biome Environmental Trust - Genesis

2007 - 2008 2009 - 2010

Rainwater Club

Chitra Vishwanath Architects





Rainwater Club

- Website- Virtual organisation- Social media (ability to connect with younger population)- YouTube Water Channel – 1.3 million views and counting

Corporates

Water EntitlementAwareness workshopsResponsible Water Use

Framework

Rural Schools

RWH* implementationHand pump for safe accessEngagement with SDMC*Water filtersBooksTree plantation

Others

Design of Playspaces Water Awareness and education

programmesVolunteers / Students of public health

Internships

Children/Schools Programme

Policy / Research / Training

RWH and Ground water policy

Nutrient Reuse from Waste Water

Plumbers / contractors* SDMC – School Development and Management Committee* RWH – Rainwater Harvesting

Biome Environmental Trust - Genesis

2007 - 2008 2009 - 2010

Rainwater Club

Chitra Vishwanath Architects





Technology

Biome ficci water