Wavin supplies UNICEF Bhutan with rainwater harvesting equipment for schools

Plastic pipe manufacturer Wavin recently shipped eight containers with products for drinking water supply and rainwater harvesting to Bhutan.

Amongst other materials, Wavin has donated Wavin AquaCell units to build specially designed rainwater buffers. Wavin Kanion roofgutters will be installed to catch the rainwater and transport it to the buffers.

Rainwater harvesting at schools
During a visit to Bhutan, Wavin employees, together with water specialists from UNICEF and the Bhutan Ministry of Health, looked at enhancing the capabilities for the collection, transport, storage and filtering of (rain) water at several schools.

These schools are sometimes situated in hard to reach areas of the Himalayan nation and people are in need of good rainwater harvesting and drinking water supply systems. At the schools where Wavin systems will be installed, much of the rainwater will soon be reused, making more clean water available to improve hygiene.

Practical training
To ensure that the rainwater systems are properly installed, a number of people from Bhutan underwent a practical training at Wavin. This is a good example of the way in which UNICEF and Wavin join forces to provide children with clean (drinking) water and sanitation.

Through partner CeCo, Huesker Synthetic has donated all geotextiles to wrap the buffers so they are protected from damage. Supplier Genap donated part of the PVC foil to make the buffers waterproof.

Providing Essentials for Children (PE4C)
Wavin and UNICEF have been working together under the name Providing Essentials for Children to provide clean drinking water and proper sanitation for children since 2005. The collaboration includes three components: money, products and expertise. After successful projects in Mali, Papua New Guinea and Nepal, the focus is now on Bhutan.

By reusing more rainwater, for example for flushing toilets, more clean water is available for drinking and handwashing, like here at a school in the capital Thimpu.

PE4C in Bhutan
Having access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation is a major problem in the sparsely populated inhospitable country of Bhutan. 30% of schools do not have access to clean drinking water and 44% of schools have no sanitation.

Wavin and UNICEF are committed to improve sanitation in 38 schools and water storage systems will be installed at 26 schools. Moreover, teachers are trained in the importance of good hygiene. In total we reach approximately 5,000 children with this project.

This news item was originally published on the website of Wavin Group.

More information
Providing Essentials for Children
+31 38 429 4337 or PE4C@wavin.com
www.providingessentialsforchildren.com

Wavin Groep
Zwolle, the Netherlands
+31 38 429 4911
www.wavin.com

UNICEF
Voorburg, the Netherlands
www.unicef.nl

Aqua for All
The Hague, the Netherlands
+31 70 3519 725
www.aquaforall.nl