The Water Gaza project in Mozambique is entering its last phase: by the end of this year all activities will be completed, and the project will be closed. Enabel has shown to be an important partner of the Mozambican government in the water sector, providing them with innovating ideas and techniques to tackle the drinkable water issue for remote populations in rural Mozambique.

Most of these secluded communities have to walk several kilometres to access a manual water pump and most of the time the groundwater does not meet the standards of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Tests in the target communities have shown that the “drinkable” water of the pumps contains too much salt. Health problems are often related to the consumption of salty water: it can cause dehydration and kidney infections. Moreover, this salty groundwater can damage the pipe and pump system and the erosion of the water supply system might cause metallic parts to enter the water, causing cancers, cardiovascular diseases and many other health issues.

Enabel has come up with a progressive plan to tackle these issues and contracted three innovating companies: VERGNET HYDRO to supply the equipment, MASCARA to install the desalination units and AFRIDEV MATI MOZAMBIQUE LDA to carry out the works and the management. The Brussels Environmental Fund, IBGE, is providing part of the funds to carry out the desalination works using solar energy. This solar desalination process is ecologically and economically innovating as it does not require a battery to stock the energy. The energy generated by the 6 photovoltaic power fields (80 m² - 160 m², with a total generating power of around 88 kWp) feed directly into the same amount of desalination units using reverse osmosis. Eventually, the desalinated water will be stored in elevated tanks, which will supply the remote communities with drinkable water through a supply network.  Of each 100 litres of pumped water, 80 litre of drinkable water will be distributed to the population. The remaining water will be dismissed in infiltration reservoirs. Furthermore, each site will have a remote management system and an electric control panel which will continuously monitor the functioning of the desalination unit.

As a result, these innovating installations lead to a significant improvement of the livelihoods of these remote populations, as desalinated, drinkable water will be provided close to home through taps. More notably, it is the first time in Mozambique that the desalination process of water runs for 100% on solar energy without the use of a battery, which makes it possible to sell water at the same price as with a conventional system (1MZN/25l; 1.3ct€).