Kilungu Waterkiosk
About
Overview
Location
Makueni 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
Kilungu is located within Makueni County, Kenya. The main economic activity in this area is sisal farming and livestock farming. Most residents of the area work at the sisal plantation while others have small business and do manual tasks in order to earn a living. Currently, locals have no nearby access to water but rely on piped water which is located at specific water points. The river which used to supply water for their domestic use was contaminated with petrol which brought diseases and many of their livestock died.
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.