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Helvatas ensures sustainable water supply in Mozambique
WINNER
Applicant: Helvetas Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit Swiss Association for International Cooperation
Project: Helvatas ensures sustainable water supply in Mozambique
Country of implementation: Mozambique
Water supply in Mozambique is inadequate in many locations. Less than half the population in rural areas has access to clean drinking water. The goal of this Helvetas project is to sustainably improve the drinking water supply and the community hygiene in the region of Cabo Delgado. Since 1979 2000 new drinking water facilities have been built or existing ones renovated and enhanced. Helvetas works in close cooperation with authorities and the rural population. As construction and maintenance jobs are awarded to private enterpreneurs, the projects is an important promotor of the local private sector. Helvetas trains local water committees to operate and maintain the drinking water facilities. The population is informed about the interconnections between water quality, hygiene and health. At the district level, water departments are supported with technical expertise and knowledge in organizational development.
Ecospeed coating for ship hulls
NOMINATED
Applicant: Subsea Industries
Project: Ecospeed coating for ship hulls
Country of implementation: Belgium
Ecospeed is an environmentally friendly, economically viable, non-toxic coating for ship hulls. Most ships in the world constantly leach poisons into the water from the paint that is applied to their hulls. This kills marine life and prevents it from attaching to the hull – so increasing the ship’s speed. However, it has untold consequences for the marine environment and as toxic paint quickly deteriorates it needs to be repainted every 2-5 years. Ecospeed is 100% environmentally friendly. The coating will last the lifetime of the vessel, around 25 years, and is guaranteed for 10. Repainting the ship’s hull every few years will be completely eliminated (and also prevent the toxic waste generated when old noxious paints are removed and new layers applied every few years). In addition, Ecospeed improves the ship’s hydrodynamic properties, which in turn cuts fuel consumption by up to 10% (and therefore also reduces CO2 and other atmospheric emissions). Furthermore, this coating provides a high level of corrosion protection and thus reduces expensive maintenance costs. Financial and ecological benefits go hand in hand making this a viable solution to a major problem in the shipping world.
Energy-autonomous water transport system supplies hundreds of Filipino villagers with clean water
NOMINATED
Applicant: Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc. (AID Foundation)
Project: Development of local waterram: supplying upland communities with drinking water
Country of implementation: Philippines
The water ram is a simple but forgotten system that is energy-autonomous alone through the use of kinetic energy of water. This system can elevate water to a height much greater than the feeding water. Using this technology, the AID Foundation designed a ram model adapted to the local conditions in the Philippines to make clean water available even for remote mountain villages. Preceding test series and pilot models for data acquisition enabled the development of an economical ram system that is low-maintenance and reliable and that can be employed in other regions with little modification. Within a period of ten years (1997-2007) over 100 such systems were implemented; today they provide 16,000 people with 100% emission-free and environmentally friendly drinking water and assure local farmers of better income through better irrigation.
