Sustainable Water Pyramids Heading to Indonesia

Delft, Netherlands, June 29, 2009 – On the Indonesian island Pomana (island off the coast of Flores Indonesia) two Dutch water pyramids will start to provide clean drinking water to the local population this summer. This sustainable invention, a large pyramid shaped silver coloured balloon, 8 meters high and with a diameter of 30 meters, is now on board of a ship from Rotterdam on its way to Indonesia. This innovative project is the result of collaboration between consulting and engineering firm MWH together with the producer, Aqua Aero Water Systems and the local NGO Yayasan Dian Desa.

In 2006, the water pyramid project received the innovation award of the World Bank. The installation produces around 1000 litres of clean water per day and requires a minimum of energy: the fan which maintains the pressure in the tent and the water pump run on solar energy. Saline groundwater pumped into the pyramid, evaporates as during the daytime when the temperature in the tent rises up to seventy-five degrees Celsius. Dirt and salt remain on the ground and the clean, sweet water drips along the inside of the canvas in a gutter collection system. The exterior of the tent is also used. When it rains, the water flows from the roof to a gutter into a reservoir where it is stored for drier times.

The project is largely funded by Partners for Water, a governmental program which aims to enforce the international position of the Dutch water sector. Delft based MWH Senior Engineer Jan Spit says;
"The people in Pomona have hardly any water fit for drinking available to them. Currently, they have to purchase additional drinking water from the adjacent island Flores. When our pyramids are there the population of Pomona will have 2000 litres of water per day sourced from their own island. It is a big step forward for the sustainability of their community and wonderful project for me to be involved in. I am eager to help set-up the pyramid this summer with the local population."

MWH provides specialist advice in water, environment and energy sectors delivering successful and sustainable solutions the world over. This includes the Water Pyramids.

"It is part of our mission of Building a Better World," says Jan Spit of MWH. 

Worldwide, 1.1 billion people have to live without good drinking water and 2.6 billion people lack proper sanitation. In 2000 the leaders of 189 countries signed the United Nations Millennium Declaration, which included eight specific Millennium Development Goals. One of these goals is that the number of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water should be halved by 2015.