From the field in East Sumba. Medical care, clean water, prevention and community health where access remains difficult.
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Water, Energy & Infrastructure
Water Connections
Safe water systems planned, built and maintained with rural communities where no public network exists.
- 5,300-litre ferrocement tanks
- 115 m³ reservoir built at Laindatang
- Rainwater, gravity and solar-pumped systems
Water must reach the home before disease does
In rural East Sumba, water may be several kilometres away, seasonal or visibly unsafe. A reservoir, protected source and working pipe change more than convenience. They change hydration, hygiene, food preparation and the daily exposure of children to preventable infection.
The programme
Water infrastructure built around health
Without a public network, every litre depends on distance, rainfall, storage and the condition of the source. Those constraints become health risks long before a patient reaches a clinic.
Water Connections designs practical systems for the terrain and the people who will use them. Depending on the site, this may mean rooftop rainwater harvesting, a ferrocement tank, a reinforced reservoir, a deep well, a solar pump, gravity-fed piping or a protected distribution point.
The work is carried out with village leaders, families and local builders. Construction is only the beginning. Gutters, lids, filters, pipes, overflow areas and water quality must remain inspectable, repairable and understood by the community.
A compact rainwater system adapted to homes, small groups of families and rural schools.
Large reinforced storage designed for more than 200 people and a local school.
A recent Hudumburung connection carries stored water directly to two homes and around fifteen people.
A solar-powered pump lifts groundwater to a 10,000-litre elevated storage system.
From source to household
How a water system becomes reliable
The visible tank is only one part of the system. Reliability begins with understanding the source and continues through design, construction, protection, distribution and maintenance.
Assess
The team studies the source, rainfall, terrain, household demand, access and the risks around the proposed site.
Design
Storage volume, foundations, catchment area, pumping or gravity and distribution are adapted to local conditions.
Build together
Local builders and families take part so the structure, materials and repair needs are understood close to home.
Protect and connect
Roofs, gutters, filters, sealed storage, overflow and pipes are installed as one continuous water pathway.
Inspect and maintain
Leaks, cracks, contamination risks and damaged components are identified, corrected and followed over time.
Water safety is continuous
A full tank is not automatically a safe tank
Safe access depends on the complete pathway from catchment or source to storage, pipe and household container. A weakness at any point can reintroduce contamination or interrupt supply.
What the system must protect
- A source or roof catchment kept away from avoidable contamination
- Gutters and first-flow components aligned and clear of debris
- A sealed tank with a protected lid and controlled access
- Filtration appropriate to the source and intended use
- Clean pipes, taps and household collection containers
- Drainage and overflow that do not create stagnant water
When corrective action is needed
- Cracks, leaks, unstable foundations or damaged tank walls
- Rust, open inspection holes or a lid that no longer seals
- Broken gutters, blocked filters or unburied damaged pipes
- Visible contamination, unusual colour, odour or persistent turbidity
- Standing overflow water that increases mosquito or hygiene risks
- Concerning test results or a cluster of diarrhoeal illness after use
A reservoir is useful only when its catchment, filtration, structure, overflow and distribution remain safe and repairable.
See how a new reservoir brings water to schoolchildren in East Sumba, and why the daily journey to collect water remains a health concern for families.
The system behind every tap
Engineering that can be maintained locally
A tank alone is not water access. Each project combines source assessment, structural choices, protected storage, distribution and a maintenance plan. The aim is not technical complexity. It is a system that fits the terrain, can be inspected and can keep working after the construction team leaves.
Site assessment
Rainfall, groundwater, access, soil, terrain and household demand guide the design before materials arrive.
Reinforced storage
Ferrocement tanks and larger reinforced reservoirs are sized and built for the community and site conditions.
Protected distribution
Filters, pumps, gravity-fed HDPE pipe, taps, overflow and drainage move water without losing control of safety.
Water monitoring
Field checks and the Rumah Kambera laboratory support testing for microbial, physical and chemical indicators.
What changes in practice
Safe water changes the conditions in which illness begins
Less time collecting water
A household connection can return hours of walking, waiting and transport to families, especially women and children.
Safer daily hygiene
Water close to home makes handwashing, wound cleaning, food preparation and household cleaning more consistent.
Water where children learn
School storage supports drinking, toilets, cleaning and basic infection prevention throughout the day.
Stronger dry-season continuity
Storage, protected sources and planned distribution reduce dependence on a single distant or seasonal collection point.
Final reportLaindatang 115 m³ reservoirRead the technical and field report for a large rainwater system serving more than 200 people and a school.
Project areaLaindatang & HambaritaExplore the linked reservoirs, filtration, construction and village water systems developed across these communities.
Child healthUnsafe water and childhood diarrhoeaUnderstand how contaminated water, dehydration and malnutrition reinforce one another in rural families.
Live field recordField Notes from Eastern IndonesiaFollow dated updates on construction, repairs, water access, health and the realities encountered by field teams.
Field guide & glossaryWater and sanitation, explainedExplore practical terms and field guides related to water safety, storage, hygiene and public health.
Public health referenceDrinking-water and healthRead the international evidence connecting safe water, sanitation, infection prevention and health.
Water and sanitation referenceWater, sanitation and hygieneExplore the wider framework linking safe water access, hygiene, childhood health and dignity.
Live from the field
Water Field Notes, as the work happens
Two recent updates from water construction, distribution or monitoring. These notes refresh when a new Water Connections Field Note is published.
Directly from the field
Latest Water Connections reports
These reports document construction, water quality, household access, maintenance, failures, corrective work and the health conditions each system is built to change.
Education and Collaboration in Rural Gardens
Fair Future is an innovative initiative aimed at uplifting rural communities by focusing on two fundamental needs: access to clean water and education. By providing these essential resources, we empowers communities to establish and maintain vegetable gardens, which serve as a cornerstone for improved nutrition and health.
Clean Water: A Child’s Better Future
Clean water close to home reduces exposure to unsafe sources, supports hygiene and gives children safer conditions for school, health and daily family life.
Children’s Joy: Clean Water Close to Home
Children in Mbinudita experience clean water close to home through Water Connections, reducing long water-fetching journeys and supporting hygiene and daily family life.
Recognizing Dehydration: Key Signs and Prevention Tips
Dehydration affects essential organs, especially in rural regions with restricted access to clean water. Discover the crucial warning signs and prevention methods, as well as how Fair Future Foundation’s #WaterConnections initiative contributes sustainable solutions for maintaining hydration in vulnerable communities.
Quick Pump Repair Restores Water in Mbinudita
Last week, the pump for our Mbinudita Water Connections project experienced a failure due to an electrical short circuit. We responded promptly by repairing the issue and installing a backup pump to maintain water supply continuity. Providing access to water is essential, and ensuring it reaches the community is our highest priority.
Building a Vital Water Reservoir in Arid East Sumba
Fair Future’s planned construction of a 110m³ water tank in East Sumba will help address the severe water shortage. This vital project, if completed, will store rainwater for nearly 300 people, including 100 children, ensuring access to clean water in one of the driest regions in the world.
Building Sanitation Facilities for Health and Dignity
Fair Future builds toilets and washing facilities in remote East Sumba to improve hygiene, reduce sanitation-related health risks and restore dignity where basic services are scarce.
Laindatang Drilling Halted: New Rainwater Harvesting Plan
After nine months of drilling efforts in Laindatang, Fair Future has stopped operations due to safety concerns and technical challenges. The focus is now on building a rainwater harvesting system to provide clean water to the village.
Water and Health: A Lifeline for Lapinu Village
In 2025, the Water Connections project aims to provide clean water and sanitation in Lapinu Village, improving health and reducing preventable diseases. The initiative will engage villagers in sustainable solutions, helping families achieve better health, nutrition, and a dignified life.
Clean Water Access with Safe and Inexpensive Tanks
Ferrocement tanks built in remote East Sumba store rainwater close to homes, offering a practical way to improve water access, hygiene and household resilience at relatively low cost.
Ferro Cement Water Reservoirs: A Lifeline for Communities
The Fair Future Foundation’s Water Connections program provides clean water to remote villages through manual construction of water reservoirs, reducing waterborne diseases and improving living conditions for women and children.
Transforming Unsafe Spaces into Healthy Environments
Renovating unsafe school toilets and improving clean water and hygiene in rural East Sumba reduces sanitation-related health risks and creates safer learning environments.
Accountability
Water systems must remain measurable, repairable and transparent
We document volumes, construction, materials, beneficiaries, site inspections, faults, corrective work and how funds are used. A completed structure is not the end of responsibility. Its condition and usefulness must continue to be checked.
