When in Canada...

Let's introduce a Canadian charity. Run For Water is a great way to support sanitation efforts while in the "Strong and Free" province, Alberta. Run For Water is a charity marathon, where 100% of proceeds raised from this event are sent to HOPE International Development Agency.  HOPE has increased water access from 14% to 40% of the population in the Bonke Region of Southern Ethiopia over the past three years. The HOPE charity teaches residents how to build permanent water supplies-utilizing capped springs and gravity-fed systems, and provides the materials to do so as well.


Runners pay a fee to join, and massages are available at the end of the race.

...Seriously.

Fees for joining are below:
http://calgary.runforwater.ca/register/fees

Sources:
http://calgary.runforwater.ca/
http://www.hope-international.com/index.php

CAWST.

The Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology, or CAWST, takes a different approach than most of our previously highlighted charities. They are a non profit organization started by Camille Dow Baker ( A former oil executive), who wanted to focus on training and consulting officials on water purification and management methods. Their 'students' are usually officials in  foreign governments at the federal and local levels.  As per their website, their "services are intended to generate local ownership and leadership for addressing water and sanitation issues. [They] provide the opportunity for people to make informed choices and actions by sharing knowledge and skills and facilitating discussions."

The idea behind the Centre is rooted in the proverb  "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." CAWST is a fantastic alternative for those who are looking for a more permanent and alternative cause rather than donating filtering systems overseas. 

Donations can be directed here.

Soures: 


http://www.cawst.org/en/about-us

http://www.cawst.org/en/what-we-do

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/careers-leadership/clean-water-from-the-efforts-of-heroes/article5169986/

Charity:Water

Charity:water is what is called a 501(c)(3) in the United States; basically a tax exempt corporation that created for charitable services. It's a great fact that they are; Charity:water is one of the very few charities that uses 100% of their donations will fund water projects. This corporation is able to accomplish this by having their operations costs payed for by Angel investors.This number has been audited. The typical project installs a well that serves 150-300 people.







Donations can be accessed here: https://www.charitywater.org/donate/#step-1

Hydraid Biosand

The Hydraid Biosand Filter is developed by Triple Quest and costs $32. A gravity fed product, this filter will eliminate 95% of E.coli, 99.8% of deadly parasites, and cause a 59% decrease in diarrhea-inducing deceases in its filtered water. Weighing 140lb, it is designed to be moved around from family to family. The system can filter ~47L per hour.

Hydraid reportedly can serve the needs of a family of 8-10, and has a life of 10 years. It's work in Honduras has definitely reduced the outbreak of diarrheal disease.

$X/L figures are fairly hard to find; no site this author has looked at has a true capacity limit.



Sources:
http://www.hydraid.org/features
http://thirstforwater.com/2009/05/give-filter-of-love-hydraid-biosand.html
http://www.hydraid.org/randomized-controlled-trial-plastic-housing-biosand-filter-and-its-impact-diarrheal-disease-copan

Donations:
http://watercharity.org/book/export/html/136

AQUAtap

Canadian company Quest Water Solutions have taken a high tech route to addressing the potable water problem. They have created a filter that almost acts like a car wash for dirty water. 

The AQUAtap takes contaminated water from a stream, passes it through several internal filters, and eventually hits it with a UV ray, completely disinfecting previously undrinkable water. And the craziest thing? It requires no chemicals, fuel, or electricity. The AQUAtap is solar powered.

AQUAtap has one of the lowest cash/clean water ratios at $.0023/L. But AQUAtap also costs over $150,000. While donating towards this can help, the AQUAtap is not an ideal choice.to give your charity to. We have not included the purchasing page for this reason.

Sources: http://www.otcjournal.com/otcb/quest-water-qwtr-saving-lives-in-africa/2205/

LifeStraw

LifeStraw has become one of the most popular water purification implements used world wide. Developed by Vesergaard Frandersen, a self professed "profit for a purpose" company, LifeStraw costs $6.50 per straw through the Rotary Club. But these straws are not simply single use throwaways.

A single LifeStraw can filter over 1,200 liters of water, removing 99.6% of the turbidity of the fluid. In layman's terms, this instrument clears the muck out of 317 gallons of water over its lifetime

Life straw currently operates at a  $0.005/L cost ratio. While effective at an individual level, other filters can process more water and at a centralized gathering point.

Sources:
http://www.vestergaard-frandsen.com/lifestraw/lifestraw/longevity-and-efficacy

Donations:
http://fllrotaryclubwaterprojects.org/donation.html