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In my most recent trip to Vientiane, Laos I have come to the realization that the prices for bottled drinking water is absurdly high (with comparison of cost of living).
Laos' tap water is said to be not potable and the people there relies mainly on bottled water to get by daily. School children in the school i visited might spend about USD0.40 per bottle for a 500ml bottle of Tiger Head Water (Best tasting water there).
Unlike Singapore every school is equip with drinking fountains(water coolers), students here are about to get access to safe drinking water at almost zero cost (cost incurred in school fees etc). Typical school children in Vientiane's smaller school will have to buy/bring their own drinking water, unlike their counterparts in larger or private schools which provides clean drinking water.
A typical child in Laos spends about 8 hours in school, a rough estimate will see that the child would need about 2/3 bottles of 500ml to get by a day, on average a child might spend between USD 0.80 to 1.20 a day on water alone. While a typical meal in school cost about about USD 0.50, which means on average a child spends more and drinking water than on food on a typical day in school.
With information taken from Wikipedia, I estimate that an average daily income for an working adult in Laos is about USD 7.90, which means that 10% ~ 15% of the daily income of a single adult is used to buy water. You can't help but to imagine what if school children are able to get access to drinking water free in the school, parents will have more money to spend on other things that can improve their lives and also the amount plastic waste generated will significantly decrease. This access to drinking water might even help the children to be healthier as currently many children turn to soft drinks when purchasing a drink when given a choice between buying drinking water and soft drinks.
What if each school is provided with a affordable water filtration system where students and staff will be able to get access to clean and safe drinking water at no cost?
Laos' tap water is said to be not potable and the people there relies mainly on bottled water to get by daily. School children in the school i visited might spend about USD0.40 per bottle for a 500ml bottle of Tiger Head Water (Best tasting water there).
Unlike Singapore every school is equip with drinking fountains(water coolers), students here are about to get access to safe drinking water at almost zero cost (cost incurred in school fees etc). Typical school children in Vientiane's smaller school will have to buy/bring their own drinking water, unlike their counterparts in larger or private schools which provides clean drinking water.
A typical child in Laos spends about 8 hours in school, a rough estimate will see that the child would need about 2/3 bottles of 500ml to get by a day, on average a child might spend between USD 0.80 to 1.20 a day on water alone. While a typical meal in school cost about about USD 0.50, which means on average a child spends more and drinking water than on food on a typical day in school.
With information taken from Wikipedia, I estimate that an average daily income for an working adult in Laos is about USD 7.90, which means that 10% ~ 15% of the daily income of a single adult is used to buy water. You can't help but to imagine what if school children are able to get access to drinking water free in the school, parents will have more money to spend on other things that can improve their lives and also the amount plastic waste generated will significantly decrease. This access to drinking water might even help the children to be healthier as currently many children turn to soft drinks when purchasing a drink when given a choice between buying drinking water and soft drinks.
What if each school is provided with a affordable water filtration system where students and staff will be able to get access to clean and safe drinking water at no cost?
| All we need are some simple water filtration system that is low cost, I have did some research and have found that Doulton brand provide's a affordable water filter candles that needs to be replace yearly. The estimated cost of 1 filter running a year comes up to about USD 250 buy one dispenser and USD 100 a year to to change the filter, this system will be adequate for a small scholl to use. |
Although USD 250 might seems expensive to one time cost to start with, we cant look away at the benefits that providing free clean drinking water to small school can bring.
With children less depended on bottled water, more funds can be used in other ways to help with their lives and not to mention the health benefits that it might bring to the community. Water makes up 71% of the earth surface and we are made up of mostly water as well. Yet access to clean drinking water still seems far off, I really do think that by helping small schools in developing countries achieve the ability to provide clean drinking water to students will carry huge impact both to health and also the economic situation of students and their families.
-Rico
Half Pail Water
With children less depended on bottled water, more funds can be used in other ways to help with their lives and not to mention the health benefits that it might bring to the community. Water makes up 71% of the earth surface and we are made up of mostly water as well. Yet access to clean drinking water still seems far off, I really do think that by helping small schools in developing countries achieve the ability to provide clean drinking water to students will carry huge impact both to health and also the economic situation of students and their families.
-Rico
Half Pail Water