Water Connections constructs ferro-cement tanks, crucial for storing clean water in arid regions.
We are building moulds together to improve the lives and health of thousands of people.
The Water Connections project also involves building water tanks with a 3,000—to 10,000-litre capacity using the ferro-cement technique. Thus, we can store the clean water we give villagers in impoverished regions.
The technique begins with the construction of wooden molds. It would be best to have a mould of four identical parts for a 5000-litre tank. We use local wood and a few nails for this purpose. These molds constitute the structure on which successive layers of cement are applied around the previously fixed reinforcement.
These molds provide a perfectly circular aesthetic to the water tank, distributing the significant forces (resistance, solidity) generated by the pressure exerted by the water when the tank is filled. The villagers make moulds with our help on the construction sites of these reservoirs to learn and transmit knowledge. Once the outer layers of cement and reinforcement are complete, they must be removed from the inside to apply one or two more layers of cement, but this time inside the tank.
We teach local communities how to make these molds so they can replicate the process later; knowledge transfer is one of our priorities. Acquiring new knowledge is the solution to many of their problems. Of course, these wooden moulds are often reusable for building several new tanks, making the process environmentally friendly, simple to make, and convenient to store.
The ferro-cement technique is simple, innovative, environmentally friendly, and profitable. It is well suited to ultra-rural regions, and we teach this technique to the communities that live in these areas, where water is often a real challenge and an absolute necessity.
We cordially invite all captivated by this story to explore our photo gallery, witness this extraordinary effort, and further engage with our mission through our Instagram account.
Alex Wettstein – Fair Future Foundation medico-social camp in East Sumba – Rumah Kambera, Lambanapu – the 3rd of March, 2024.
