Help bring clean water to 50,000 people.
12,500
people served
25,000
people served
32,500
people served
50,000
people served
Ending the water crisis isn’t just about bringing clean water to millions of people in some of the world’s hardest-to-reach places. It’s about keeping it flowing, sustainably, for years to come. With your investment in Sensors Research and Development, we can safeguard access to clean water for those who are most at risk of losing it.
Historically, the only way for governments and NGOs to monitor rural water systems was to visit them in person. But reaching these locations takes time, human resources, and money. Often, site visits occur only once or twice a year, which means broken water systems can stay broken for months. If the system isn’t working, people immediately go back to drinking dirty water
We decided that we could do better.
Every time a water point breaks down, people have no choice but to return to contaminated water sources, perpetuating the very crisis we’re trying to solve. We realized we needed to monitor our wells from afar. But no tool existed. So we made one.
We developed a comprehensive remote monitoring tool using cutting-edge IoT (Internet of Things) sensors and cloud computing technology to equip local leaders with real-time data on water system performance.
Our sensors are designed with simplicity and durability in mind, and we are always striving to make them better. With every iteration, and every investment in Sensors Research and Development, our capabilities improve exponentially.
Our sensors are manufactured at scale to industrial standards. Inside each one, a stack of six capacitance sensors measures the physical level of water in the wellhead twice every second, which is then converted to the number of liters flowing through the pump per hour.
The sensors automatically geolocate, eliminating the need for additional training requirements or installation equipment. As data is gathered, it’s analyzed in the cloud using advanced IoT and analytics tools provided by Amazon Web Services. Customized insights are emailed directly to local monitoring teams on the ground.
Since 2012, we’ve researched, developed, and deployed innovative technology to monitor the functionality of water systems across Africa and Asia. Each new generation builds upon the last, maximizing efficiency and safeguarding clean water access for hundreds of thousands of people.
Collectively, our sensors collect data on approximately 25 million liters of water per month. More than 20 organizations around the world are piloting our sensors to help improve the performance of their maintenance programs as well as the overall efficiency and effectiveness of their water projects.
Screenshot of a user's view of a single sensor's data and details.
Entrepreneurship is the path to prosperity.
charity:water is tapping into that truth with its Sensor Research and Development Fund. I am so encouraged that charity:water continues to pursue technology with this unique entrepreneurial model in order to drive outcomes for the long haul. Even more — as a risk-taker myself — I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in philanthropy that innovates.
With support from our funding partners, we plan to build out and scale our sensor program over the next two years with a goal of safeguarding water access for more than one million people.
You can help us develop the technology that will keep clean water flowing. As an investor, you can expect the following:
Learn with us
You’ll be part of a cohort-based, masterclass experience — the first of its kind at charity: water. Your impact will be shared in four updates over the next 12 months.
Keep water flowing
Your investment will bring the next generation of sensors from research and development to deployment, protecting water access for hundreds of thousands of people.
We’re committed to creating work that benefits as many people as possible around the world. You can find our open-source sensor designs and code on Github.
Have thoughts or feedback you want to share? We'd love to hear from you: sensors@charitywater.org
