Rainwater tank Wai La Padang for clean water in Hambarita
From long scooter trips to safe water at home
Aerial view of Hambarita where the blue Wai La Padang rainwater tank stands beside two small houses on a rocky hill, keeping clean water close to the families who live here.
Wai La Padang, Hambarita
In Hambarita, in East Sumba, the bright blue reservoir you see in the ten photos is called Wai La Padang. It is one of eight new rainwater cisterns built in collaboration with local families. Each cistern has a capacity of 5,300 litres and is made of ferrocement, reinforced with steel bars for increased durability. Hand-mixed concrete and a compacted base ensure the stability of these structures, even on slopes impassable for vehicles.
Previously, fetching water required arduous journeys on foot. Residents carried jerrycans across dusty, rocky terrain. This method resulted in significant water loss, often with the water contaminated before it even reached their homes. Children drank from unprotected buckets, leading to frequent skin infections and recurring cases of diarrhoea requiring treatment at clinics.
Now, thanks to Wai La Padang, rainwater from rooftops is collected, filtered, and stored just a few meters from homes. The photo report retraces each step of the process: from the formwork and wire mesh to the final coat of blue paint, including the gutters and tap.
For the Fair Future and Kawan Baik Indonesia foundations, these reservoirs represent much more than just infrastructure. They are essential public health measures. Access to clean drinking water reduces infections, prevents burns from boiling contaminated water, and eases the financial burden by limiting the use of water tankers. It alleviates the arduous work associated with water collection, giving women and children back their time and dignity, while also enabling the community to better cope with the challenges of drought and climate stress.
- We invite you to read the final report of this project here by downloading this PDF document.
- Would you also like to participate in the construction of one of these reservoirs?
- Explore the interactive project map for Laindatang and Hambarita to see the exact location of each reservoir and related works.
- Visit the complete online gallery of over sixty images related to these eight reservoirs.
- See the full gallery of nine information panels that detail the story, capacity, and impact of each reservoir.
Today, the 17th of November 2025 – Alex Wettstein. Thank you very much.
Road repairs for a single village tank
Before we could build Wai La Padang, neighbours spent days repairing the steep track so cement and sand could reach the site. For a village of fifteen people, this was a massive effort. The tank is not only concrete and pipes, it is the result of a whole community refusing to accept unsafe water forever.
Wai La Padang | Rainwater tank for clean water access
Rainwater tank Hambarita brings safe rooftop water home and protects daily family health
From distant scooter trips to a tap by the door, clean water is now within reach
In Hambarita, the rainwater tank named Wai La Padang stands just beside three small houses. Before this tank, families spent hours fetching a few jerrycans, losing money and days of work. Now, rooftop rainwater becomes safe water near the kitchen, so mornings start with cooking, handwashing, and children ready for school.
For years, water had to be fetched by walking or risky rides, with Jerrycans bouncing on scooters on broken roads, spilling water and causing pain. Diarrhoea was common from open, dirty storage, leading families to burn wood to boil water, filling clinics with preventable cases. The new tank, featuring a level platform and a tap close to the kitchen, changes everything: mothers can cook earlier, wash their hands and food with safe water, and children arrive at school cleaner, hydrated, and less likely to be ill, missing fewer lessons. Elders avoid steep paths and riverbeds, thereby reducing the risk of falls and fractures when an ambulance is not nearby. Privacy at the tap also makes menstrual hygiene easier, greatly improving daily life.
The Wai La Padang rainwater tank in Hambarita provides time in a poor village, valuable as money. Girls save hours by not having to haul water, and can use daylight for reading, homework, or play. A bucket for seedlings or goats no longer takes half a day from the fields. Fewer tanker trips save cash for tools, seeds, or school fees. A shared rota for cleaning gutters and screens builds trust as neighbours meet weekly for a communal task. The ferrocement walls, rebar, and base keep the 5,300-litre tank stable during harsh weather, turning short rains into days of security when pumps fail. This climate adaptation, built with local labour and guided by Fair Future and Kawan Baik medical teams, shows how clean water impacts health, keeping people healthy or sick.
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 18th of November, 2025
Related links for this project
Other inspiring organisations
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.
