Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Scale-up Implementation of a Sustainable, Appropriate, Awards-winning, Arsenic and Microbial Removal Filter in Rural Nepal
EPA Grant Number: SU832492Title: Scale-up Implementation of a Sustainable, Appropriate, Awards-winning, Arsenic and Microbial Removal Filter in Rural Nepal
Investigators: Murcott, Susan E. , Kit Ngai, Tommy Ka , Le-Tallec, Yann P. , Kang, Cathy , Lucchino, David , Adams, Eric , Frey, Suzanne , Daisuke, Ueno
Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: October 1, 2005 through May 31, 2006
Project Amount: $10,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2005) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Challenge Area - Safe and Sustainable Water Resources , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
In the rural Terai region of Nepal, about 5 million people are affected by arsenic and/or pathogens in their drinking water. Previous efforts to improve the quality of the drinking water failed because of the use of inappropriate water treatment technologies. Because of this, those in rural Terai had no other options, but to drink contaminated water and to suffer from preventable water-related diseases, including diarrhea, cholera, stunted growth, skin lesions, and cancer.
To combat this problem, MIT and two local partners developed an innovative, low-cost, awardswinning household-level drinking water treatment system, called the Kanchan™ Arsenic Filter (KAF). This technically superior technology receives high acceptance and satisfaction by the users. Over 2,000 filters have been distributed so far, serving 15,000+ people.
The objectives of this project are to increase sales of KAF at the household level through improved promotions, streamlined supply chain processes, increased awareness, and appropriate, localized micro-financing options. The success of this research will be measured by the impact of our strategy, as compared to the current model, in terms of financing rate, number of filters sold, and long-term financial and organizational sustainability of all stakeholders.
This project improves the health, livelihood, and economic conditions of poor and disadvantaged villagers by providing safe water to the population and by building technical, managerial, and financial capacity among the local community. This project contributes to the local economy by the use of local labor and materials in filter construction and the exploration of adapted financing mechanism. These improvements are at no cost to the environment; on the contrary, this project promotes a more efficient and environmentally friendly use of natural resources. Finally, this project will enhance students' sensitivity to sustainability. It will be integrated into the longestablished Master of Engineering Program’s Water and Sanitation projects, the MIT Nepal Water Project, the curriculum of the Development-Lab (DLab) Global entrepreneurship-Lab (GLab), and “Water and Sanitation in Developing Country” classes at MIT.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Kanchan™ Arsenic Filter
- Over 3,000 Kanchan™ Arsenic Filter now supply safe, arsenic free and microbially safe water to 25,000 people in Nepal. The P3 Award of 2005 supported this implementation.
Microfinancing:
- Micro Finance Institutions (MFI) in Nepal include rural banks, Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SCC) and financial intermediary NGOs. Prior to this project, we had thought that banks will not provide small loans for a KAF purchase because the loan may appear riskier than income generating investments and therefore not be a priority. But what we found was that although KAF is not income generating, this is not a barrier for existing MFIs because the cost of the KAF is so low. Our partner organization in Nepal, ENPHO, is now providing backing for KAF loans.
- Group lending works well as a collateral: Lumanti (one MFI institution) has more than 95% repayment rate and NERUDO (the 2nd MFI institution) has 100%.
Awareness and Education:
- We learned that the most effective activities to make villagers aware of the KAF and the benefits of safe drinking water are village workshops, door-to-door visits, and radio announcements.
- We learned that to make the local community aware of the benefits of safe drinking water and the KAF, it is necessary to develop a systematic approach that leverages partnerships and is also measured.
Sales and Marketing:
- KAF is currently sold in an indirect manner, primarily through word of mouth.
- Potential KAF users are presented with images and photos showing a narrow range of people interacting with the KAF
- Current marketing materials need to be geared towards the "target audience."
Pricing and Supply Chain
- Lack of sufficient user demand is hurting supply chain/pricing negotiations
- Bulk purchasing direct from GEM (the bucket manufacturer) can reduce costs by at least 159 Rupees (30% reduction in cost of plastics; 10% cost reduction of total filter)
- ENPHO, our partner in Nepal, can purchase buckets and piping, and use this to replace subsidy
Conclusions:
Microfinance:
- If required by the MFI, ENPHO should provide revolving fund to NERUDO or to the Cooperatives seconded by Lumanti to cover KAF loans
- MFI members should be convinced of the importance of safe drinking water
- MFI saving groups could have incentives to promote and/or sell the KAF (e.g. sales bonus).
Awareness and Education:
- Six project elements are essential to success: awareness & education, marketing, microfinance, sales, supply & construction, monitoring & evaluation
- Conduct awareness/education workshops with MFI’s
- Increase institutional installations of KAF
- Partner with other awareness/education activities at schools
Sales and Marketing:
- Better align the advertising message and sales opportunities for the KAF
- Apply the “communication brief” format to all materials
- Immediately develop an “advertising” flier whose target audience is village woman responsible for their household drinking water supply
- Position “Tasty water, good health - Kanchan Filter” as the KAF tagline on all appropriate materials & radio announcements
- Strengthen local private sector’s ability to sell & finance KAFs
- Establish one “communication steward” at ENPHO for all print, radio & web
Pricing and Supply Chain
- Place a bulk order with GEM for at least 1000 filters to prevent problems of obtaining filter parts
- Use bulk bucket/piping purchases to replace subsidies can expedite delivery
- Use GEM to distribute to district central locations to lower the cost of KAF and to improve predictability
- Restructuring of salaries for NGO “sales people” – higher commission, lower salaries; to increase the productivity of the sales people; motivate NGOs to invest profits in promotional materials, awareness/education, and microfinance training
Supplemental Keywords:
groundwater, tube well, aquifer, biosand, carcinogen, viruses, bacteria, microbial, engineering, environment, private business, entrepreneur, community-based, micro-finance institution, socioeconomic, self-reliant, water supply, sanitation, World Bank, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Water, POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, Environmental Chemistry, Arsenic, Water Pollutants, Drinking Water, Environmental Engineering, alternative disinfection methods, microbial contamination, pathogens, disinfection of waters, filtration, arsenic removal, microbial risk management, point of use, contaminant removal, drinking water contaminants, drinking water treatmentRelevant Websites:
Safe Water For 1 Billion People ExitEnvironment & Public Health Organization Exit
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.