Dala township in Yangon, Myanmar is characterised by inadequate access to water and sanitation services, as well as a general lack of awareness of the importance of hygiene.

To address these issues, a Community WASH Committee (CWC) has been established. The CWC consists of local community members who are collectively responsible for identifying priority issues facing the community, and an action plan to address those needs.

One pressing issue for the community was the need for a safe water drinking source. Mr. U Soe Tint, a 52-year-old grocery shop owner living in Dala, explains the situation:

“There was no purified drinking water service in my village. The people had to go and buy it from afar, which was very expensive.”

With no other water source available, the community had to rely on a heavily polluted local pond as their only other means for drinking water.

Supported by Habitat for Humanity through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), the CWC members established a water treatment facility as part of their action plan in order to provide their community with safe drinking water.

Utilising a 7-step filtration process and meeting World Health Organisation standards for drinking water quality, over 700 families in Dala now have access to safe drinking water, and no longer have to rely on polluted ponds or expensive alternatives for their daily water needs.

Mr. U Soe Tint, also a CWC member, leads the day-to-day operation of the treatment plant, as well as being responsible for mobilising the community to ensure it is adequately maintained.

“We all have big dreams for this water treatment plant and we are very happy for participating in the project activities,” U Soe Tint reflected.