Building the Laindatang water reservoir
A rigorous construction on a remote plateau
Step-by-step construction of Fair Future’s 115 m³ rainwater reservoir in Laindatang—built without electricity, road access, or water, to store and filter clean rainwater for the entire village.
Laindatang water reservoir construction
The Laindatang water reservoir is built entirely by hand on a steep rural plateau. Teams from Fair Future and Kawan Baik work with villagers to assemble steel, formwork, and concrete in harsh conditions. This Laindatang water reservoir will bring safe water to families who have lived without it for generations.
In Laindatang, everything starts from the ground. Nothing is prefabricated, and nothing arrives ready to use. Our teams from Fair Future and Kawan Baik work with the villagers to build the Laindatang water reservoir on a limestone hill, where every step is manual labour. Rebar comes as loose pieces that must be bent, aligned, and tied by hand. The foundation grid demands hours of precision because this structure will hold 115,000 litres of drinking water for decades.
Formwork is assembled from rough timber carried up the slope after we restored the access track, destroyed by the rains. Concrete mixing becomes a repetitive but vital rhythm. Gravel, sand, and water are hauled manually. Mixers run for hours, and every batch is checked for consistency and strength to ensure long-term safety. When rain arrives suddenly, we protect the curing slab using tarps. When the wind and cold rise from the plateau, levelling continues until the line is correct.
This Laindatang water reservoir is more than engineering. It is the daily reality of medical prevention. Clean water prevents disease, reduces malnutrition, and changes how children grow. The community joins the work, carrying stones and tools, understanding that this reservoir is a turning point for their village. When the concrete slab finally sets, it marks a quiet victory; a foundation for life.
Today, the 10th of December 2025 – Alex Wettstein
- Download the updated architectural plans for the Laindatang reservoir here
- Learn more about all nine reservoirs by exploring our dedicated gallery of large information panels placed beside each tank here.
- Explore the interactive project map for Laindatang and Hambarita to see the exact location of each reservoir and related works. View the map here.
- Explore the full online gallery of over 66 images from the Laindatang reservoir project here
In Short | A turning point for Laindatang
The first slab of the Laindatang reservoir is complete. Built entirely by hand with villagers, it marks the moment a community long without clean water secures a safer future. This foundation will reduce disease, ease daily hardship, and strengthen the health of families on the plateau.
Laindatang clean water reservoir construction
Building the Laindatang water reservoir
A demanding construction in remote highlands
In Laindatang, nothing is simple. Everything must be carried, cut, shaped, and built by hand on a steep limestone plateau that has never known clean water. Our teams from Fair Future and Kawan Baik worked side by side with the villagers to create the 115,000-litre reservoir that will transform daily life here.
Rebar arrived in loose pieces, each one bent and tied manually because no prefabrication is possible this far from any road. The foundation grid demanded days of precise medical-level attention: equal spacing, strong anchoring, and correct tension to support decades of drinking water. Formwork was assembled from rough timber brought up the hill after repairing access tracks destroyed by the rain.
Concrete mixing became a relentless routine. Mixers ran for hours while gravel, sand, and water were hauled by hand. Every batch was checked for consistency, strength, and safety. Sudden rain forced us to protect the curing slab with tarps, working against the wind and cold. When the sun returned, levelling resumed until the structure held its line.
This reservoir is not just infrastructure. It is the result of human endurance, community effort, and field medicine applied to water access. Children watched every step,, knowing that soo, theywouldld drink clean water for the first time in their lives.
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 9th of December, 2025
List of Related Organisations with Hyperlinks
- WaterAid: Enhances access to clean water and sanitation through community systems and hygiene education.
- UNICEF WASH: Promotes safe water for children with scalable programmes and field guidance.
- WHO Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene: Establishes standards and health risk reduction tools.
- Rotary International: Supports community water infrastructure and technical partnerships.
- Malaria Partners International: Fosters malaria prevention at the intersection of water and health.
- SolarBuddy: Supplies solar lights that enhance safety and study time in communities without grid power.
- CDC Safe Water: Provides practical guidance on water safety and disease prevention.
- Sika Group: A global leader in construction materials, including waterproofing membranes.
