Building a new water purification center is certainly something to celebrate. So when a new water purification center opens in a village, the whole community is invited to celebrate. But opening day is just the start of building a long term partnership, and opening day celebrations are also an opportunity to build trust with the community.

Part of building trust is demonstrating the effectiveness of the water purification equipment. Without their own filtration equipment, many remote villages rely on water delivery services. However, because it isn’t clear where the water comes from or how it is treated, people are not always confident in its quality.

Electrical conductivity tests are a simple test to compare treated and untreated water. Suspended and dissolved particles in untreated water increase the water’s electrical conductivity, how easily electricity can pass through the water: the lower the conductivity, the purer the water. Comparing the electrical conductivity of the treated water with the source, village residents can see for themselves the effectiveness of the water purification process.

Opening day is also a time to introduce the community to the ATW (Anytime Water) system, and to distribute ATW cards and water jugs that they will use to collect water. ATW is a simple RFID card system that can automatically distribute water without requiring an on-duty attendant, ensuring water is available 24/7.