Safe Drinking Water Program in Sindh, Pakistan

The Safe Drinking Water Project in Sindh provides renewable-powered reverse osmosis purification systems, securing safe water access for vulnerable communities, reducing emissions, and promoting sustainable development in flood-impacted Pakistan.

Project Type
Vintage Period
Tradeable Quantity
Methodology

Community-Based Projects
2023 - 2024
1,500 tCO2e

AMS-III. AV.
Low greenhouse gas-emitting safe drinking wate production system

Project ID
Crediting Period

VCS 5388
2023 - 2033

BACKGROUND

Safe drinking water is not a privilege, it is a basic human right. However, for the residents of Sindh province, Pakistan, this right is far from guaranteed. The proposed project activity involves installing low greenhouse gas emitting, small-scale photovoltaic reverse osmosis (PVRO) desalination systems aimed at addressing the dire water safety crises exacerbated by the catastrophic 2022 floods. These floods affected over 33 million people, severely damaging infrastructure and leaving millions without access to clean drinking water, further compounding the pre-existing conditions where up to 80% of water sources were reported as unfit for human consumption.

This initiative targets the urgent need for clean drinking water in Sindh, where traditional methods of boiling water using non-renewable biomass and fossil fuels are prevalent. By providing a renewable energy solution, the project not only ensures a sustainable supply of safe drinking water but also significantly reduces the reliance on harmful environmental practices. These systems will serve communities with historically poor water quality and limited access to safe drinking water (SDW), particularly affecting rural and remote areas.

SOLUTION

How the System Works:

Renewable Energy Meets Advanced Water Purification

At the heart of each plant is a solar-powered RO system, custom-designed for decentralized deployment in remote and underserved communities. The technology stack includes:

01

Mono-crystalline Longi 545W solar panels

Ensuring energy autonomy and eliminating fossil fuel dependence.

03

High-efficiency RO membranes

Removing over 90% of contaminants including TDS, arsenic, and pathogens.

02

Variable frequency drives (VFDs)

Optimizing pump performance and energy efficiency.

04

Multi-stage pre-filtration units

Protecting membranes and ensuring long operational life.

The process uses solar energy to draw saline or polluted groundwater through a high-pressure RO system, producing clean, microbiologically safe water—verified against WHO and Pakistan national standards.

Each plant, housed in a 15' x 20' facility, produces up to 14 kW of clean power and supplies safe drinking water to over 2,500 residents, totaling 45,000 beneficiaries across 18 installations in Sindh’s most vulnerable districts.

IMPACT

UN Sustainable Development Goals addressed :

SDG 1
No Poverty

By providing free, safe drinking water to over 45,000 people, the project eliminates costly dependence on private water vendors. This directly reduces household expenses and healthcare costs from waterborne diseases—freeing up resources for food, education, and livelihoods in one of Pakistan’s most vulnerable regions post-flood.