Increasing the availability and use of household water treatment technologies like biosand and ceramic filters, is the focus of the Carolina Global Water Partnership project of the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, USA. Phase I of the project will explore several different business models, including microfinancing for consumers to purchase treatment devices and microfinancing and microfranchising for local entrepreneurs to produce and market the devices. During this phase, researchers will also look at ways to reduce costs through improved design, production and distribution models.

If Phase I shows promise, subsequent phases will identify in-country partners and pilot implementation of the business plan. The initial geographic focus of the project will be the Mekong Subregion of Asia. The project is the second to receive funding from the Gillings Innovation Laboratory, which was set up through a gift to the UNC School of Public Health from Dennis and Joan Gillings to fund interdisciplinary research.

Related news:

• Water quality interventions: cost-effectiveness of non-piped sources and household treatment, Source Weekly, 21 Sep 2007
• Household treatment: PATH granted US$ 17 million to develop commercial market, Source Weekly, 11 Jan 2007
• Household treatment: Nigerian NGO develops filter based on natural coagulants and slow sand filtration, Source Weekly, 23 May 2007

Related web site: WHO - Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage

Contact:

• Prof. Mark Sobsey, Environmental Sciences and Engineering UNC School of Public Health, USA, mark_sobsey@unc.edu
• Dr. Lisa Jones-Christensen, Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School, lisa_christensen@unc.edu

Source: UNC School of Public Health, 9 Oct 2007

Tags: financing, water quality