Existing Solutions

Safe water, local production of chlorine, HWTS, Sustainibility, Electro-chlorination, Residual chlorine, water treatment, technology, low-cost, BOP

technical

WATASOL is a way to deliver safe water to ‘bottom of the pyramid’ customers. The WATASOL approach has two thrusts. First, it produces an active chlorine solution locally with Antenna Technologies’ WATA electro-chlorinators and quality control tools. Then, it promotes the product and its uses through innovative marketing approaches. These innovations are also a solution, to two key challenges of: a) affordability, in making the products affordable and selling them at very competitive prices and b) health education, in persuading people who are not aware of the dangers of drinking contaminated water to change their behaviour.

WATA technology – currently in three scaled devices – uses a simple, manageable process of electrolysis to convert a measure of salt and water into chlorine, for use in water purification and disinfection. Packaged in the overall WATASOL approach, it is the epitome of how to simplify a complex science at the service of those desiring a greater share of progress. Innovation. Ownership. Safe water.

Chlorination, which consists of adding active chlorine (sodium hypochlorite) to water, is the most common method for disinfecting drinking water of parasites, bacteria and viruses. Indeed, active chlorine destroys or inactivates 99% of pathogenic micro-organisms in water with a very high reliability. It is broadly recommended in Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage (HWTS) systems where there is no alternative for producing drinkable water.

Antenna has developed a WATA line of devices, specifically designed for the context of communities in developing countries. The resulting solution can be used for drinking water chlorination or as a disinfectant for use in households, hospitals or community clinics.

More than 2,000 WATA devices, small (Mini), medium (standard) and large (Maxi) have been purchased from Antenna and are being used in 70 countries. 12 programmes are being undertaken more closely by Antenna via local partners and NGOs in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, DRC, Guinea, Haiti, India, Mali, Mozambique, Nepal and Pakistan. 

The technology was developed in Switzerland by Antenna’s network of scientists. A first serie of field tests took place between 2004 and 2006. Once the technology was confirmed as adapted to the field and solving the problem to water treatment, more programmes were launched. A wide range of actors including local NGOs, individuals, entrepreneurs, schools, health centres, Institutions and international NGOs have included the WATA and local production of chlorine in their safe water programmes and work closely with governments and local authorities to ensure long-term viability of the projects. 

It is in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that the WATASOL approach was first introduced. Here, for the first time, that the WATA technology was first combined with hygiene awareness campaigns, training, door-to-door education, chlorine promotion by sales agents and income-generation from the local production of chlorine. It was started during a serious cholera epidemic, to provide water treatment at household level. After this emergency response, efforts were made to establish it on a permanent footing.

There are five clear steps in the process of enabling the adoption and replication of WATASOL approach. Any development agency interested in partnering with us will probably need to see the step-by-step approach first, to convince key stakeholders within their organisation.

Understanding the ‘Five Steps’ helps people to learn how to master the technology and its dissemination, and, later on, to get the basic parameters together for establishing a business plan that could lead to a scaling-up phase. Each actual step may differ among organisations, depending whether they are already strongly involved in safe water programmes or this is a new area of operation.

The Five Steps for introducing the WATASOL approach are:

1. The Demo phase introduces the WATASOL technology and approach;
2. The Try-out phase gives hands-on familiarity;
3. The Testing phase confirms the viability of local production of chlorine;
4. The Pilot phase gives options for dissemination and business models;
5. The Scaling-up phase aims to replicate successes on a wide scale.

Chlorine is the most secure, effective and low-cost option for water treatment. When produced locally, it becomes a simple way to have immediate impact on access to safe water in small, medium and large communities.

One advantage of chlorine is that it can be added to water at different steps in the water supply network, through pipelines, towards households.

One of the advantages of the WATA is to produce chlorine on demand. It is a tool that can be very useful for health centers or any structure with an immediate need of disinfectant. For these structures, the technology seems relevant if enough time can be spared by the staff to undertake the production in a sufficient amount and in a regular manner.

This technology also finds applications in disasters and emergency preparedness activities led by the communities themselves: to treat the water of the tank in a shelter prior to a cyclone alert, to stockpile chlorine solution just before an evacuation, or to produce chlorine in autonomy during the isolation and the first days of the emergency response.

For example, a 2 hours production (2 liters) would allow to treat8 m3of water; 5 hours:20 m3. The direct chlorination of a tank is therefore very realistic, and the use of a WATA sufficient.

For community participation, the WATA can be a good support tool in urban and periurban areas. It allows proposing an activity that federates motivated associations or individuals and can give
them autonomy.

The community relays that were gathered around the WATA are a good tool for social mobilization: they shouldn’t be neglected and continue to need reinforcement. Their motivation, creativity, and the fact they are the leaders of their development, are factors that will be a good base for NGO’s projets. It is recommended that work is continued to keep them active.

Among indicators which vary from one project to another (depending on overall objective, business model selected amd dissemination channel with best potential), here are some indicators of success:

• Regular adoption of chlorine (behaviour change)
• Willingness to pay.
• New source of revenue.
• Successful implementation of proposed business models.
• Reduction of health costs of users.
• Adoption of improved hygiene practices by people.
• Increase in public awareness on safe drinking water.
• Reduction in occurrence of water borne diseases by 5-10 %
• Increase in overall awareness on water purification.
• Usage of HWTS by around xx households.
• Partnerships with around local and international organizations and government agencies related to drinking water provision.
• Capacity building training programmes.
• Number of interviews conducted in the baseline survey
• business models and strategies for dissemination of water purification technology.
• Number of entrepreneurs selected for enterprise models.
• Number of technical training sessions held for potential entrepreneurs.
• Public awareness campaigns conducted.
• Documentation material on successes or failures.
• Impact on health indicators in the project sites.
• Number of partnerships developed with the local organizations and government agencies.

Project manager

Why WATASOL works for you

When your programmes need to ensure optimal quality and volumes of drinking water, and disinfectants for health and hygiene, WATASOL is your reliable partner.

Our local production of chlorine fits any portfolio, from country programmes through sector building to local initiatives and emergencies.

Its immediate impact, rapid installation, scalability, training options and low operating costs come with financial sustainability.

 Water engineer

Why WATASOL works for you

Whether you need to enhance your water grid, or ramp up emergency supplies at life-saving speed, WATASOL’s local production of chlorine is a fitting solution.

WATASOL has been designed, developed and extensively field-tested by hydrologists and scientists with development workers.

Its chlorine is a key low-threshold route to water purification and disinfection, at point-of-use or ‘upstream’ in the grid. 

Health specialist

Why WATASOL works for you

WATASOL plays a core role in removing a key barrier to your successful health and hygiene programmes – poor water quality.

Its benefits are immediate: safe drinking water and the means to disinfect wounds and working surfaces, are the enemies of disease.

Through producing chlorine locally, WATASOL gives a boost to overall hygiene awareness.

Chlorine is highly effective against bacteria and many viruses (99.9% removal), and provides residual protection against recontamination.

 Entrepreneur

Why WATASOL works for you

Ensuring access to safe water is, first and foremost, a thoroughly sound and sustainable business proposition, contributing to local income generation.

The WATASOL ‘Five Steps’ work both for start-up community enterprises (advised by business development services) and existing businesses.

With a short supply chain, wholesale and retail options provide a good ROI on reasonable outlays, often suited to micro-finance.

Philanthropist / Financial partner

Why invest in WATASOL

As a funding partner, giver or philanthropist, you surely want to break the vicious cycles of poverty and build virtuous circles of equity.

WATASOL works at the cusp of poverty reduction and development. Through local production of chlorine, it removes barriers to health, and empowers local enterprise.

With clear impact indicators, the Five Steps of WATASOL are a sound investment in research for progress.

 To our experience, no programme can be as successful as when local and national authorities are involved. 

The WATA allows to group and federate community relays around a simple, didactic and useful activity. The messages and the energy of these relays are at least as important as the proposed product.
The implication of women is essential to maximize the impact in the spread of messages for adapted
practices at household level.
Social marketing provides tools to mobilize users around the theme of Water Treatment. The goal is not to ensure the sustainability of the WATA technology but to anchor a demand from users for quality water.
Verify the lack of access to industrial chlorine products (bleach, Waterguard) and the availability of
salt at low cost.
Ensure the monitoring of production, storage and usage conditions of the solution to guarantee its disinfectant action.

Antenna has received the support of the Swiss Development Agency, Caritas and a private Foundation, Provictimis for a pilot programme in South Asia : 

-          To set up methodologies of implementation, follow up and evaluation regarding domestic safe water through the local production and sales of chlorine;

-          To document and capitalize experiences and way on how to make them replicable;

-          To prepare a scaling up phase at regional and national level based on know-how and lessons-learned.

Antenna has received the support of the Swiss Development Agency to replicate the school programme launched in Nepal and scale it up in 100 schools (Bolivia, Kenya and Haiti) with the partnership of EAWAG and via local partners for the implementation of the programme in the three countries. 

UNICEF is also supporting a pilot programme in Mali with same objectives as South Asian programme. The idea is to assess potential for local production of chlorine and dissemination via health centres. 

Antenna will keep working with International and local NGO to assess dissemination potential and options for the use of WATA in the countries where it has been present until now. Among them, ACF, Helvetas, ICRC, Caritas, UNICEF, WHO, Solidarités International, ACTED, World Vision, Entrepreneurs du Monde, … 

Carole de Bazignan
Safe water manager
Fondation Antenna Technologies
11, rue des Pâquis – 1201 Geneva – Suisse
t: +41 22 731 10 34 – f: +41 22 731 97 86
www.antenna.ch

Logo Antenna water

WATA Line of devices

User guide WATA

5 steps approach