This is the VOA Special English Development Report.
Each year, millions of people in Bangladesh drink ground waterthat has been polluted by naturally high levels of arsenic poison.Finding safe drinking water in that country can be a problem.However, International Development Enterprises has a low-costanswer. This non-governmental organization has developed technologyto harvest rainwater.
People around the world have been harvesting rainwater forcenturies. It is a safe, dependable source of drinking water. Unlikeground water, rainwater contains no minerals or salts and is free ofchemical treatments. Best of all, it is free.
The rainwater harvesting system created by InternationalDevelopment Enterprises uses pipes to collect water from the tops ofbuildings. The pipes stretch from the buildings to a two-meter tallstorage tank made of metal. At the top of the tank is a so-called”first-flush” device made of wire screen. This barrier prevents dirtand leaves in the water from falling inside the tank.
A fitted cover sits over the “first-flush” device. It protectsthe water inside the tank from evaporating. The cover also preventsmosquito insects from laying eggs in the water.
Inside the tank is a low cost plastic bag that collects thewater. The bag sits inside another plastic bag similar to those usedto hold grains. The two bags are supported inside the metal tank.All total, the water storage system can hold up tothree-thousand-five-hundred liters of water. InternationalDevelopment Enterprises says the inner bags may need to be replacedevery two to three years. However, if the bags are not damaged bysunlight, they could last even longer.
International Development Enterprises says the water harvestingsystem should be built on a raised structure to prevent insects fromeating into it at the bottom. The total cost to build this rainwaterharvesting system is about forty dollars. However, InternationalDevelopment Enterprises expects the price to drop over time. Thegroup says one tank can provide a family of five with enoughrainwater to survive a five-month dry season. InternationalDevelopment Enterprises has more information at its Web site,w-w-w-dot-i-d-e-o-r-g-dot-o-r-g (www.ideorg.org).
This VOA Special English Development Report was written by JillMoss.