A Problem
Millions in Uganda rely on surface water and hand-dug wells as their primary drinking water source. This water is often contaminated with dirt and bacteria, goes dry during the dry season, and takes multiple hours of walking to collect. From getting sick to spending all day collecting water, women and children miss school and opportunities.
A Solution
Simple and low-cost solutions can often produce high-quality results. Dylan Oster partnered with Mickey Ingles and MissionCleanWater to design, develop, and distribute a small-scale and cost-effective solution to purify water using biosand technology. Our filters are called the “WaterGirl” because they focus on improving the quality of life of women and girls, who often bear the burden of walking miles to bring jugs of water from farther, cleaner sources to their families.
How do they work? A biosand filter uses layers of sand and self-generated bacteria to remove contaminants, quickly producing water that is safe to drink. The system requires minimal maintenance and can last indefinitely. Instead of the more common and expensive concrete tank, the WaterGirl uses readily available plastic bins, screens, gravel, PVC pipes, nature, and gravity to operate—all of which can be sourced locally.
Our Impact
To see the progress of the WaterGirl filters, we complete routine impact assessments. This helps us understand the short and long term impacts, plan for any challenges, and see how community members are caring for their filters.
Our Goals
Our goal with WaterGirl is to create a small and simple solution that is low-cost but highly effective in preventing waterborne illnesses and creating opportunities for women and children. This system would help one family or group at a time, in as many places as possible with your support.
Our goals are to:
-Have 100 Water Girl filters operational by the end of 2023.
-Provide clean water to 10,000 people by the Spring 2024.
-Have 1,000 filters operational by the end of 2024
Current WaterGirl Filters
3000 People With Life Long Clean Water
Our Team
With the proceeds of the Welles grant, instead of building and delivering one water purification system that she would deliver, Dylan was able to make the system so inexpensive that she could build five, which were tested and are now being used in Uganda. Dylan tested its effectiveness and safety on the stagnant Delaware canal (as shown in the picture above), and the water’s purity and bacteria levels equaled that of the tap water in her house.
After building a passion for engineering and a recognition of the widespread issue of access to clean water, Dylan Oster began researching and developing cost-effective solutions for clean water. After receiving a Welles Award from the Lawrenceville School, she began working with water engineer Mickey Ingles to develop a prototype of the biosand filter.
She has created an inexpensive solution that prevents water-related illnesses and enables women and girls to reclaim hours of their day previously spent collecting water.
Dylan decided to call this system the “WaterGirl” since it helps women and girls who would often have to walk great distances to collect water from cleaner sources for their families instead of attending school. They can now collect water from nearby, more contaminated sources, allowing them to recover that lost time and those lost opportunities.
James Leitner is the Founder and Executive Director of MissionCleanWater. To show what women and children face every day, he has completed a long list of symbolic fundraisers, such as walking across the USA pulling 10 gallons of water, and carrying 45 lbs of water for 14 marathons straight.
He assembled a team of water and community experts to oversee lifelong clean water projects in Uganda and the USA. To date, his team has completed numerous clean water projects helping 25,000 people.
Andrew Auruku is MissionCleanWater’s project manager who has been assisting with the logistical efforts of the biosand filter initiative in Uganda. He currently manages all MissionCleanWater projects and assists in meeting community goals. He has an extensive background in logistical and community planning for health-based programming.
Dr. Christine Odele is a professor in Uganda with expertise in community management and development. She has spent her career teaching education and perfecting the process of how people work with local communities.
Our team setting up the Water Girl Biosand Filter
Dirty water goes in the yellow jug and out comes clean water.
Difference the Water Girl makes
A beautiful Water Girl Filter!
Color difference of lake to filtered water
Collecting water from Lake Kyoga
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