The Community Water Project involves connecting communities and service learners to help improve access to safe drinking water.
Service learning teams, in collaboration with communities, construct a treatment device using premanufactured parts.
The unit is designed to promote trust and safety.

About the Unit

Where it is useful

Community Trust and Safety

Service Learning in the Public Domain

Participatory Design and Relationships

The Devices Components

The unit is ideal for small communities or schools that have access to non-potable water that needs to be made safe for drinking. For instance, rainwater from roofs, water stored in elevated tanks, or pumped water can be directed into the top of the unit. No electricity is required.

Because the unit has both visible and transparent components, builders and users of the unit can "see" it functioning. Building participants can easily learn, build and troubleshoot due to it's "visual design." Therefore, it helps maximize the usefulness of the unit.

The design of the unit is open to anyone including designers, schools, engineering clubs, graduate students, or educational organizations. Improvements and innovations are welcomed. The existing design may not be patented.

The interactive approach to the construction of the unit means that users of the device will collaborate with organizations.
This is different than "giving a fish," or even "teaching to fish." Rather it is collaborative learning and work.
It's about relationships.

The components of the unit are made predominately from already manufactured components. Other components can be made with a tabletop CNC machine and simple hand tools. Maker Spaces, colleges, and service learners can build the transportable kits.

The device consists of a simple filter, a chlorine dosing unit, and a chassis [that holds the components.] Kits for the device can be assembled and shipped to locations where communities can build the device using some of their own locally sourced materials.