Off-grid solar powered water purification and community development in Haiti's Artibonite valley, the heart of Haiti's cholera epidemic

In May 2017, the Project Haiti team of two faculty and eleven students from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida, working together with a professor and translator from the Universite d'Etat d'Haiti, designed and installed a solar-powered water purification system in the village of Drouin, Artibonite Department, Haiti. This region has been at the epicenter of the post-2010 cholera epidemic that has infected hundreds of thousands and killed many thousands. There has been no reliably safe drinking water in the region. In addition, community WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) training was provided for children attending the village school. A final component of the project was to launch a micro-business on site. The “Cool Blue Water” company is intended to provide clean, safe water for the village at minimal cost with proceeds directed towards education at the local school. The Haitian operators were empowered with ongoing maintenance and operation of the system, as well as the micro-business operations. Partnership with Haitians and the long-term partnering NGO (non-governmental organization) is a critical enabling aspect that improves sustainability of this community development effort.