Cleaner, Safer Water in Cambodia
Cleaner, Safer water in Cambodia
The Problem
In Cambodia, untreated water and poor sanitation cause an estimated 10 million cases of diarrhea and 10,000 deaths each year, mostly in children living in rural areas.
The Solution
To date, social enterprise Hydrologic has reached nearly two million Cambodians with its ceramic water purifiers. With a filter in their homes, families can drink safely. By no longer needing to boil water, indoor air pollution from wood burning is reduced, household fuel costs are slashed, time is saved for women and children, and Cambodia’s vulnerable forests are protected.
The project creates rural employment opportunities in filter manufacturing and distribution. Women make up 47% of Hydrologic’s staff, including 60% of top-level managers and 60% of the rural sales force. Hydrologic also works with a microfinance institution to sell filters on credit, making them affordable for more Cambodians.
Impact and Benefits
- 90,000 tonnes of CO2e saved per year (equivalent to taking 36,000 cars off the road)
- 300,000+ Filters distributed providing clean water to nearly two million Cambodians
- 74% of those who previously boiled water report less exposure to smoke
- For every 1000 carbon credits purchased:
- $30,000 savings by households on fuel purchase and collection*
- 5 hectares of Cambodia’s forest protected*
- 34 fewer cases of acute lower respiratory illness*
*Figures are based on data from Lord, R. (2014) Social Return on Investment of Nexus Carbon for Development Projects. This study calculated the co-benefits for Hydrologic using 2016–2017 data.