Safe waterNETWORK AND honeywell partner to provide access to SUSTAINABLE safe drinking water in Telangana
Honeywell is sponsoring 25 iJal safe water stations to communities in need in Telangana. SWN has been approved to build a total of 300 water stations in the region
Safe Water Network (SWN) and Honeywell India (NYSE: HON) today announced their partnership to provide convenient access to affordable and reliable safe drinking water towater quality affected communities inTelangana.Funded by a Honeywell India grant,Safe Water Network is building 25 iJal safe water stations in Karimnagar and Adilabad districts from 2015 through 2017.These will serve approximately 60,000 people in an area that suffers acute groundwater contamination from flouride. Ten iJal stations are already operational in Karimnagar district.
This initiative addresses a critical need in India where 100 million people live in areas of poor water quality. Telangana is ranked second on a list of states with drinking water problems, with Union health ministry data showing 1,174 hamlets across the state affected by fluorosis. Water and sanitation-related illnesses account for 70-80 percent of disease, including fluorosis, in this region. Data from a UNICEF study shows that only 35 percent of households in Adilabad district, and 64 percentof households in Karimnagar district, have access to safe drinking water.
“Honeywell India is committed to improving the world we live in by creating, supporting and nurturing corporate citizenshipinitiatives that make a real, sustainable, and measurable impact on communities that Honeywell serves. Safe Water Network India is a terrific partner in our efforts, and we are proud to support their vision of offering access to safe drinking water in Telangana,” said Anant Maheshwari, President, Honeywell India.
Safe Water Network, a not-for-profit dedicated to developing affordableand sustainable access to safe water for those most in need, applies a business approach to a social problem, developing locally-owned water businesses for those beyond the reach of large infrastructure projects. Its iJal safe water stations provide large-scale impact without long-term reliance on corporate funding. Within 24 months of operations, 90 percentof stations are independent of ongoing subsidies for operations, technical support and maintenance. Safe Water Network’s oldest iJal station has operated with less than 2 percentdowntime for more than five years, providing more than half a million litres of water to approximately 500 households.
The success of Safe Water Network’s model lies in its attention to business processes, technical expertise, and engagement at all levels of the targeted community for social, financial and environmental sustainability. In recognition of Safe Water Network’s expertise in the water sector, the organization has been deemed a National Key Resource Center of the Ministry of Drinking Water andSanitation, Government of India.Through strategic expansions, ongoing innovation and analysis, knowledge sharing and collaboration, Safe Water Network has been successful in proving that water systems can be owned, operated, and maintained by local communities. It is working with large stakeholders to demonstrate that the proposition can achieve large-scale impact on a cost-effective and sustainable basis.
“Safe Water Network isfocused on developing solutions to provide safe, affordable water for today, and for years ahead. Together with Honeywell, we are improving the lives of 60,000 people in communities here in Telegana. In doing so, we are also helping to demonstrate the potential of safe water stations for millions more,” said Kurt Soderlund, CEO, Safe Water Network. “We believe that business, government, and civil society — working together – can accelerate the speed at which people across India gain access to dependable and affordable safe water.”
Safe Water Network created the iJal brand, which has become a symbol of trust for communities and is recognized by households for reliable and affordable safe water. Each iJal station is self-sufficient from the first day of operations, recovering its operating cost, including operator’s salary, electricity bill, raw water tariff, cost of consumables and establishing maintenance reserves for long term repairs and replacement.
To date, Safe Water Network India has commissioned 112 iJal water stations, bringing affordable, safe water access to more than 380,000 people in Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Ultimately, Safe Water Network aims to build 300 iJal safe water stations, providing access to nine lakh (900,000) people by 2017.
About Safe Water Network
Safe Water Network has been working alongside communities in Ghana and India since 2008 to establish decentralized and locally-owned community water supply systems that provide affordable, reliable and safe off-grid drinking water. Over the past four years Safe Water Network India, has established more than 100 iJal safe water stations in the Indian states of Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh providing access of safe water to over 380,000 beneficiaries. We work along with local governments (Panchayati Raj Institutions) and enable local communities / entrepreneurs by providing training, tools and support to enable financially sustainable iJal stations. The communities buy safe drinking water at nominal rate of 7-10 cents for walk in consumers; affordable for the populations we prioritize that live on $2-$3/day. Working with government and other stakeholders, our priority is to document the success of this approach and, working with other entities, reach millions in need of safe water through its broad-scale replication. For more information on Safe Water Network please visit www.safewaternetwork.org
About Honeywell India
Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; turbochargers; and performance materials. All of Honeywell’s global businesses have a strong legacy in India, built over the last eight decades. Honeywell’s India commitment is evident in seven state-of-the-art manufacturing and engineering operations, and five global centers of excellence for technology development and innovation. Honeywell employs close to 15,000 people across 50 locations including Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Madurai, Pune and Vadodara. For additional information on Honeywell India, please visit http://honeywell.com/country/in/.
