The water supply is improving in Mshomoroni, a suburb of Mombasa County in Kenya. For over a week now, residents have been receiving a continuous supply of water thanks to a new desalination system. The GivePower organisation, based in San Francisco in the United States of America, installed the new containerised system at the request of the local authorities. The facility, which will also be operated by the clean energy provider, has a capacity of 75 m3 per day.
The system treats both salty and brackish water. “As well as removing salt, viruses and bacteria, this system will eliminate other contaminants, including fluoride, creating a reliable and affordable source of drinking water for communities in need,” says GivePower. The hydraulic system is powered by a small photovoltaic solar power plant installed on the container, with a battery-powered electricity storage system that takes over after sunset or in bad weather.
Four systems already installed in Mombasa
The Mshomoroni containerised system will be operational for 20 years. “Ensuring access to safe, reliable and affordable water remains one of the most important and challenging issues facing humanity today. We are very grateful to Abdullswamad Sheriff Nassir, the County Governor of Mombasa, and ServiceNow for their partnership in making this project possible,” said Michele Magee, GivePower’s President.
This is the fourth solar-powered desalination system to be installed by Givepower in Mombasa, eastern Kenya. In 2020, Likoni benefited from a Givepower seawater desalination system. The installation, built to operate 24 hours a day, consists of a water purification system installed in a 20-foot container, capable of supplying 70 m3 of water a day to the population of this coastal locality.
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In addition to improving access to drinking water, Givepower’s solutions, with capacities ranging from 10 m3 to 75 m3, help to reduce the proliferation of water-borne diseases. GivePower’s model has won several international awards, including the prestigious Energy Globe Award in Kenya.
Inès Magoum