Kiosks and pure water catalyse social development
The kiosk is Aclaira social business corner stone. This service requires mainly local resources to ensure drinking water supply to a community. Typically a kiosk serves two thousand persons.
Technicians mainly coming from the universities of the country
Water operators, often women, are in charge of the day-to-day operation of the kiosk. A team of technicians visits the kiosks regularly and performs preventive maintenance of the treatment unit, including cleaning of the membranes. Most of the maintenance technicians hold a degree from the country universities and they can usually assume full responsibility for the periodic maintenance tasks after about 3 months of training. The organisational arrangement and the membrane treatment of choice guarantees water quality. Water is distributed in 20 litre cans. Thus the kiosks serve both as a treatment plant (for example for fluoride removal) and as a distribution centre where water is sold to the community at the most affordable price.
Distribution kiosks located close to populations
Kiosks are established on land carefully selected in consultation and collaboration with the municipalities. Kiosks must be located in a region where quality water is lacking, nearby a gathering spot such as a market place or the heart of a community. Projects based on several kiosks are particularly interesting as “multi-site” construction minimizes costs while enhancing decentralization, and multiply water access points.
Aclaira has drawn on experience gained from existing kiosks to improve services proposed to villagers e.g. returnable cans, and conditioned base maintenance thanks to remote monitoring…
Kiosks eventually become a gathering spot that can attract other businesses (eg. battery rental, refrigerated storage, etc.) and drive economical development.