Water Box is a project which aims to meet the needs for hygienic water and sanitation solutions through simple, locally adapted, sustainable solutions. The goal is to make these resources available to anyone, by combining appropriate permaculture
technology & designs, using locally available (often recycled) materials to produce three, site-specific installations, that may be copied and multiplied.
The three different Water Box installation designs cater for different conditions and target groups, but all have in common 3 different levels of water purification, from 3 prioritized sources:
*** Rainwater
*** Recycled water from showers, kitchen and overflow system
*** Well water
in addition to:
*** Rainwater harvesting system with storage tanks and overflow system
*** Sedimentation, Filtration and UV/phyto-remediation treatment system, for re-used waste water from installation facilities
*** Purification of drinking water, with monitoring system
*** Dry compost toilet(s) with urine-separation and urinal(s)
*** Hotwater shower(s)
*** Kitchen with drinking water quality, biofuel cooking and food storage
*** Washroom
Because we believe everyone should have access to clean, hygienic water and washroom facilities, all over the world, all the time.
Water Box Indie Place is the first of the three designs to be installed, at Indie Place in Antsirabe, Madagascar. It is specifically designed to cater for a community centre with a small campsite. This design includes 4 dry toilets
with urine separation, 2 urinals, 1 washroom, 4 solar heated showers, kitchen and food storage.
The project is divided into different phases:
1. Construction phase (started 29.5.2015 - 75% completed)
2. Implementation and feedback phase (starts november 2015)
3. Monitoring and re-adjustment phase (starts simultaneously with 2. phase, and proceeds for a full 12 month)
4. Launching phase (starts after 3. phase is completed)
The beauty of the design is in its simplicity, adaptability and sustainability. When it´s ready for the market, we will be creating local jobs for local workers and craftspeople, using local resources, from sustainable production and recycling facilities.
Most of all, we will be sharing the knowledge, the how-to and awareness of natural resource management along the way, with everyone we collaborate with. The Water Box Indie Place also displays certain educational features, such as a "window of truth", visible
systems and posters and labels to reveal hidden processes.
Any design starts with a designer and a team of committed, innovative people, and DIY Action Planet People is a network for positive, creative and pro-active, "thinker-doers". Here are some of our DIY team from Water Box Indie Place and previous projects:
Most of the team have worked with us on previous projects. Edmond, our metal-team leader has worked with us since 2005, creating the ComposTED system, BioBriquettes and the Tsy Kilalao (No Play) playground workshop, together with Peter and local youths from
Green Pilots Madagascar.
Edmond and Peter, working together to save the Planet (2012)
Designer/Architect Rivo and Technical supervisor Benah are deep in conversation about the design and technical solutions, plumbing and progress in the construction phase.
"Bringing the proverb "bringing the mountain to Mohammed" to a new level?" Water Box Indie Place is bringing old knowledge and new technologies together, in a joint effort to create a more sustainable source of water into the community. Rainwater harvesting
and recycled water comes in priority to the well-water. However, well-water will also be needed after months of drought, so the water tower will ensure that Water Box Indie Place serves fresh, purified water every day of the year" Our team of masons and construction
workers are led by two very skilled leaders, Martial and Andry.
So how do we DIY this Water Box together?
We have teams of skilled workers in the field, they are ready to continue, but we have exhausted our own, private funds, and are now looking for partners to help us complete our dream and vision for a world where natures bounty can be sustained and harvested
by all. To do this, we need your support, and to illustrate how your action works, here are some examples:
*** NOK 25-75 pay a days wages for our work team and team leaders.
*** NOK 250-500 pays for a month of midday meal ("Vary sy laoka") and refreshments, and the salary of our wonderful cook, Fara.
*** NOK 1000-5000 pays for a fully installed water tower and immersion pump, with an active coal filter for a pit well.
*** NOK 50000-100000 pays for the installation of Water Box model 2 in a rural/remote site
*** NOK 250000 pays for the complete Water Box Indie Place installation, including phases 1,2&3
Update photos (31.08.2015):
Please feel free to share our campaign with your friends and networks in any possible way, so our community of DIY may grow and find eachother through genuine, meaningful activities and collaborations, to make our planet a better place for all.
You can blog about us, link to our website (http://www.mlt-mlt.no/diy-action-planet-people.html) or share our
Facebook page DIY Action Planet People to stay in touch for future fun for the future good!
