Buruburu WaterKiosk
About
Overview
Location
Nairobi County, Kenya
Type
Solar-PV powered desalination
Capacity
5,300 GPD
Product quality
Potable
Distribution
Local
Technology type
Reverse osmosis
Land footprint:
Output:
Solar energy and fresh water
Facilities
3
Project description
Buruburu is a large middle-class residential area within Nairobi capital which comprises five phases, one being the oldest, with the fifth completed in 1982. The houses in Buruburu resemble modern architecture of white buildings with striking orange tiled roof tops, all built in a town-house orientation. Buruburu gave rise to modern-day Sheng, a language spoken by virtually all of Nairobi's youth.
How we reuse water
Groundwater wells located near the ocean often encounter saltwater intrusion as they pump more and more water. As a result, water that was once fresh can become salty and undrinkable over time and require treatment. Because desalination requires significant electricity to run high pressure pumps, solar energy is an ideal way to generate ‘off-grid’ energy that is both reliable and cost effective for desalination. This allows groundwater that would otherwise be unuseable to become a reliable source of additional water.