World Water Day
Pentair and the Pentair Foundation have announced a new collaboration with Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO) to deliver clean water to people living in Mathare, a settlement in Nairobi, Kenya.
The project in Mathare expands upon the recently completed multi-year endeavour by the two organizations to deliver safe drinking water in Kibera, a settlement on the western edge of Nairobi. The revenues from the project sustain the water system and help fund the Kibera School for Girls, creating an integrated link between clean water, the girls’ education and community development.
Working with SHOFCO, Pentair engineers designed, built and installed a state-of the-art water filtration system to treat water on site, doubling the volume of water that the system delivered to the Kibera community. The aerial piping system, the first of its kind to be constructed in Kenya, distributes the filtered water away from groundwater contamination while reducing the risk of tampering. The custom designed aerial system consists of overhead pipes that connect to 24 water distribution kiosks throughout Kibera.
In Mathare, SHOFCO intends to replicate the aerial piping system to connect five water kiosks that will deliver filtered water to a projected 21 000 individuals annually. It will also provide filtered water to the Mathare health clinic.
“At Pentair, we believe that the health of our world depends on reliable access to clean, safe water,” said Marybeth Thorsgaard, VP Communications and Pentair Foundation president. “Today, on World Water Day, we reflect on the progress we’ve made with our strategic partners over the past 12 years to transform the way safe water is sustainably delivered to people in need through our Project Safewater initiative. We are excited to continue this work with SHOFCO to deliver clean drinking water to the residents of Mathare.”
“We are pleased that the Pentair Foundation is supporting the safe water initiative with SHOFCO,” said John Stauch, Pentair president and CEO. “We are excited to continue this work to deliver clean drinking water to the residents of Mathare.”
“The theme of World Water Day 2019, ‘Leave no one behind,’ is aligned to our approach to help build the next generation of leaders,” said Ed Gachuna, SHOFCO chief financial officer. “The lack of clean water disproportionately affects women and girls, who must care for those who fall ill due to unsafe water and lack of sanitation. Access to clean, safe water is key to empowering the women, and to helping the larger community build a better future.”