East Timor - Community Water Supply

SITUATION ANALYSIS

In August 2000, Solco established an assembly and service operation in East Timor, with the intention of supplying water and power to East Timorese communities using solar power. To date, some 16 Sun Mill solar pumps have been installed in community water supply systems, providing running water for more than 12,000 people.

The Solco Sustainable Aid Model

Rather than "give and forget", the Solco model includes close community consultation during the planning process for new water and power supplies. We select three or four enthusiastic young community members to work with us on the installation.

We also try to obtain funding to cover the costs of a Solco employee making eight visits during the first two years to properly service all equipment. We involve our local installers in these service calls as well, and by the time the service contract expires they are very capable of providing ongoing maintenance.

Rembor

The first project was at Rembor, where women and children had previously been forced to walk long distances to collect water for drinking, cooking and washing. After the installation of the Sun Mill pump and associated equipment, eight taps provided potable water close to the village.

From the original Rembor system installation, and as a result of further experience over the intervening years, Solco has developed a sustainable model for the installation of water and power supply in remote locations.

Era Ulo

Woodside Energy contracted Solco to design and install a turnkey water supply solution for the Bakhita Community Centre in Era Ulo, East Timor. The Centre provides people living in the area with the opportunity to learn computer skills and sewing, as well as a medical clinic.

Solco's solution included four 4000 litre water tanks, two Sun Mill solar water pumps and nearly a kilometre of buried poly piping. As well as installing the equipment, Solco organised the local workforce to construct two concrete water catchments, level a tank pad and pour a small slab for the main storage tanks.

Dr Jose Ramos-Horta, then East Timor's Minister for Foreign Affairs and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, sent Solco a letter of thanks via Leeuwin Care, an East Timorese Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) which now manages the Bakhita Centre. The letter states that "Your generous support has given hope, opportunity and dignity to many".

Bobanaro

During a 2005 visit by Solco Sun Mill Manager Chris Middleton to service pumps in East Timor, four Sun Mills were installed at an AusAID funded project in the Bobonaro district. These pumping systems supply three communities who have been without a community water supply system since the militia attacks of September 1999.

During this visit Chris also visited the Sun Mill system installed at Rembor in 2000 and was pleased to find that the community is still enjoying a sustainable and reliable water supply.

Chris commented: "This is the most rewarding aspect of my job at Solco. To visit a community that has had a Sun Mill for four years, and to find it still delivering much-needed water gives me a tremendous amount of pride in what we are doing."

The Future

The chief of the East Timor Government's Community Water and Sanitation Division, Elias Moniz, stated that "since achieving independence, 20% of the population in rural areas have gained access to clean water."

Solco is proud to have contributed to this achievement and hopes to be further involved in providing water and power in a sustainable manner to the East Timorese people over the years to come.