Iron Removal

We've been battling the water situation here ever since we came. Putting
money, resources, time and training into water source repair has been so
great, and now that we've gotten on top of the problem we can start to focus
on long-term solutions in areas that are working well. Kibaale is our first
starting point... the well was drilled in December 08, and the minerals in
the soil have polluted the once clean water so that it is now filled with
iron and manganese. If you pump a glass full of the water, within 60 minutes
the water will turn from clear to brilliant orange or red. The solution here
is an iron removal plant. We've finished construction on this one and the
local residents who are using it say that the water is so much better, and
useable for cooking and drinking again. This is fantastic. Testing shows
we're removing 95% of the iron content! It's such a battle... first to
ensure that people even have access to safe water, and are not just drawing
it from puddles or polluted stagnant streams, and then to ensure that the
sources that are available are healthy. When the choice is either e-coli or
minerals, you have to provide an alternative.