PORTABLE FILTRATION SYSTEMS, UKRAINE

FUNDED JANUARY 6, 2023

Since February 2022, more than 7 million Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries, and 6.9 million people are internally displaced in Ukraine (according to the International Organization for Migration).  This has left millions of people with either limited or no access to safe water.  Water Mission, which is a partner of Ingomar Living Waters, has been active in Ukraine since soon after the war started helping provide clean water solutions ranging from water purification packs to mobile and fixed safe water treatment systems.  In addition, Water Mission has been distributing Ukrainian Bibles and providing spiritual help to a people in great time of need.

Russian forces have targeted water infrastructure and pipelines, cutting entire cities off from access to safe, treated water.  UNICEF estimates that six million people in the country are currently at risk due to limited or no access to safe water.  Residents have been left to gather unsafe water from streams and waterways.  Many have no choice but to use dirty buckets, gas cans, and plastic bags as
containers to gather this water, which is unsafe for human consumption.

Unit installation van

The funding provided by 50% of Ingomar United Methodist Church’s 2022 Christmas offering in conjunction with Ingomar Living Waters will allow a mobile filtration system, installed in a van, to bring clean, safe water to Kharkiv Oblast, Donetsk Oblast, or Mykolaiv Oblast.  We will deploy the mobile unit wherever the need is greatest at the time of implementation.  A mobile solution is safer from wartime targeting and can go where present need is the greatest.

The Reverse Osmosis (RO) system employed in this mobile unit is capable of producing approximately 2,000 liters of safe water per hour. Due to the time it takes to travel and find a viable water source in these dynamic environments, we estimate 2,000-5,000 liters per day is realistic in terms of water production.

The mobile unit will operate in one village per day (rotating villages) as long as conditions allow.  The number served will depend on the population of each village and community.  Based on our current experience, we estimate that we will serve 500-1,000 people each day in 2-5 villages per week.

The villages we will serve through this mobile water unit have no reliable access to a safe water source—water sources in these
communities have been compromised through intentional strikes on water infrastructure.

All future maintenance costs for this mobile safe water unit will be paid for by Water Mission funds which have been set aside to support the disaster response in Ukraine.

Due to the current conflict, comprehensive data estimating the future impact of this project in Ukraine is not available. However, the general impact of safe water during a conflict is well documented. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine Osnat Lubrani has highlighted the dire need for safe water that is affecting an estimated 6 million Ukrainians every day, noting that “poor water quality can
lead to diseases, including cholera, diarrhea, skin infections and other deadly infectious diseases.  People are having to live in crowded conditions and are unable to follow basic hygiene measures. ”UNICEF’s Ukraine representative Murat Sahin has further noted that “young children who live in conflict zones are 20 times more likely to die from diarrheal diseases linked to unsafe water than from direct violence, as a result of war.”

Reference: https://www.unicefusa.org/press/releases/14-million-people-without-running-water-across-war-affected-eastern-ukraine/39899

Safe water is essential for families to thrive.

Interim Update April 3, 2023

Good news!  The reverse osmosis system (guts of the “Ukraine Water Truck”) funded using 50% proceeds from Ingomar Church Christmas offering has been acquired and installed in a truck (which was funded separately).  Every day now, a truck is circulating war torn areas of Ukraine and providing clean water to those in need.  This was all made possible due to the generosity of the congregation of Ingomar Church in donating their Christmas offering to bringing the gift of clean water to people in Ukraine.  Thank you!

Unfortunately, the Water Mission crew in Ukraine who operate the water truck daily are too busy moving from location to location every day and providing clean water while trying to stay safe.  They do intend to produce a specific report showing the water truck in operation (without providing any detail targeting information).  Until they are able to do so, Water Mission provided us with an overall update video on their water and hygiene efforts in Ukraine.

COMPLETeD April 26, 2023

Thanks to the generosity of Ingomar Living Waters and the Ingomar Church Christmas Offering, Water Mission has deployed a mobile safe water system that is meeting the critical need for safe water in six villages in Ukraine.

At the beginning of this project, we anticipated serving 500-1,000 people each day, providing water for 2-5 villages every week. We are grateful to share that we have exceeded these estimates.  Our team in Ukraine is traveling to six villages every week, providing reliable safe water for approximately 1,280 people.  This unit produces an average of 3,200 liters (about 845.35 gallons) of safe water every day.

Due to security concerns, we cannot share the names of the six villages you are serving. However, we can share that the villages are located in an area that was under Russian occupation for nine months.  These liberated communities are now struggling to slowly rebuild their homes, neighborhoods, and infrastructure.  This provision of safe water alleviates one of the many burdens Ukrainians in these villages face on a daily basis.

As estimated, the project was completed and operational by March 1.  We received the completion report and photographs on April 26.  Thank you again for your patience with us on the reporting process!  The Water Mission team is still running fast in Ukraine, but they were able to get some photos to me, as well as totals for the number of people we are serving!  I anticipate that this project will continue to serve Ukrainians for quite a while, even as we pray for an end to this conflict.

We are serving slightly more people than anticipated, but our costs did not increase.  We had firm estimates at the beginning of the project and the actual costs aligned with those estimates.  The total cost of the project was $65,000.  ILW’s $25K donation provided the water-cleaning Reverse Osmosis filtration system and tanks; an additional $40K for the truck and fuel was provided by others.

We are grateful that we have the chance to meet their needs for safe water.  Thank you for your partnership in bringing safe water to almost 1,300 struggling men, women, and children in Ukraine.