In any situation, anywhere around the world, clean, safe drinking water is always at hand, once you have the right tools. To see how, watch the three minute video. . . and for detailed, step-by-step, instructions go to www.wavesforwater.org/2009/06/water-filter-instructions .

Above the Rubble - Here’s a recent video of Jon and filters in Haiti by Julie Santos.

abovetherubble.blip.tv

Jon & friends were on a surfing trip when they arrived in Padang to see a city in ruin – After joining relief efforts and safely returning home to California Jon has begun telling his story:

Text from ground zero: “No matter what, I am sure that I was in the middle of a miracle – in being here with the water filter technology that I had, in a place that so desperately needed it. Breathtaking experience. 12 crucial hrs – in an environment that I hope we will all never live to see. Lives were saved with those filters. My heart goes out to these people . . . and you and all the people you talk about it should send them love too. Will update u from Jakarta. I love you!! J”      Sent from my iPhone

Digital version of the OC Register cover story for Tuesday, 10/20/09

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rose-water-filters-2614721-city-workers

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Radio interview:     http://www.fm949sd.com/morning/story.aspx?ID=1159225

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Excerpts from  ESPN story:  http://espn.go.com/action/surfing/news/story?id=4551391#

“In a setting that was constantly bombarded with bad news we all sat there and looked at one another with huge smiles and a sense of accomplishment. It was beautiful”

“I had 10 ceramic water filters in my bag that I had planned on using for my upcoming Bali trip, and immediately became consumed with trying to get these filters into Padang and in the hands of relief efforts. I knew the significant impact my filters could have and had to act.”

“The drive through Padang to the Red Cross station felt like something out of a battle scene in a Terminator movie. Smoke and rubble was everywhere, people were yelling, while others absently stood there smoking cigarettes, frozen in a state of shock. It was so soon after the quake that it seemed there was no real understanding of what happened or more importantly, what to do.

Everyone just looked helpless.”

“At one point we were standing next to what used to be a little shopping center and I heard faint voices crying for help from beneath the ruble.”

“I found their best English speaking representative. His name was Alfri. I asked if they needed water filters. Their eye’s popped out of their heads as if I had just said they won the lottery. It was a look I will never forget as long as I live. They said access to clean water was one of their biggest challenges, and not just for drinking but also to use in cleaning and treating the wounded.”

“After driving around for a couple hours we found clear, plastic, five-gallon canisters that are probably used to store gasoline. I bought four of them with hopes of setting up two fully operational systems by the end of the day.

We finally made it back to the Red Cross, it was time to get creative and start assembling the system. The next couple hours were magical. Red Cross workers and I collaborated on various ideas and methods of how to modify the new materials and make them into working filtration systems. I had my Gerber seven-inch knife packed in my bag and I used that to cut through the hard plastic, make holes, and slices wherever needed. The whole process was a team effort and truly would not have worked without everyone’s input.

Finally we had finished one system. It wasn’t the prettiest thing but it seemed to have everything in its right place. We went out behind the building to a well that sat in direct sunlight. He said there’s water in here, but it’s completely contaminated. He said there are well’s like this attached to the rear of most buildings but no one ever uses them because they are too dirty.

I told him this is what these filters are made for so we lowered a bucket into the brownish-yellow water. At close glance the water was even more horrific than I thought. It was a rich yellow color filled with algae and other clumps of who know what floating in it. We walked back to the system and poured the water in. It takes about an hour for an entire paint bucket to filter so I was assuming it’d be about the same for this system.

By day’s end there were two fully operational filtration systems and a dozen people who were now well educated in the technology. I left the other eight filters with Alfri and he said that the flowing day he would gather more materials and personally distribute them to different Red Cross station around the region.”

He asked me one thing as I was leaving, “When can we get more filters?”

“I left Alfri that evening with a new mission: To get home as soon as possible and find a way to get him more filters. It took me 60 hours to finally get home. I have been home for a couple days and everything I experienced is just now sinking in. I have been tirelessly reflecting on all the things I saw. Going through every emotion known to man.

I sit here completely humbled.”  JR

]]> http://www.wavesforwater.org/2009/10/sumatra-earthquake/feed/ 1 http://www.wavesforwater.org/2009/08/volcano-villages-project/ http://www.wavesforwater.org/2009/08/volcano-villages-project/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:07:37 +0000 Jack http://www.wavesforwater.org/?p=86 Skills for Humanity and Waves for Water have joined forces to create

a new water source for people living on the side of a volcano in Bali.

Mt. Agung

About 1700 families live in 35 remote villages high on the back side of an active volcano known as Mt. Agung. These are the original people of Bali and are the poorest of the poor. Segregated and virtually ignored by society, they live without education, medical care, electricity or water. (link to video in Blogroll)

Introducing the RainCatcher solution

A RainCatcher is a simple, ingenious arrangement of gutters, tanks and filters placed

on a building, allowing people to enjoy a free, private source of clean drinking water.

Portable Family RainCatchers                      ‘Just Water’ drip filters

Click on photo to enlarge, then click again to see full size.

The Waves for Water Volcano Villages Project will distribute hundreds of Portable Family RainCatchers, one for each family, at a cost of $30. per family.

RainCatcher Starter Kits include plastic tarps, rope, 30 gallon trash cans and ceramic drip filters. The entire system is packaged and transported inside the trash can. These are set up during rains by stringing up tarps between trees or buildings. After each rain the tarps are rolled up and put away, kept clean for the next storm. Hundreds of gallons of clean water can be caught and stored with each rain, depending on how many containers each family can round up.

A budget of  $50,000. is required to deliver RainCatchers to 1700 families living on the side of Mt. Agung. We are seeking corporate, and/or philanthropic, sponsorship for this project. Individuals can also contribute funds to provide RainCatchers for a single family, a dozen, a hundred . . . ?

The problem and solution arrive hand in hand.

One carries a burden, the other brings a blessing.

The same rainstorm that creates a flood also brings

the promise and miracle of continued life.

To solve the ‘World Water Shortage’

we catch the rain that floods the earth,

combining the gifts of gravity and grace.

The Waves for Water idea is simple: What if each adventure surf budget included a small fraction set aside to bring clean water sources to those who are literally dying of thirst? Every year enough travel/vacation revenues pour down upon Bali, and similar destinations, to provide

H2O 4 every 1

]]> http://www.wavesforwater.org/2009/08/volcano-villages-project/feed/ 0 http://www.wavesforwater.org/2009/06/water-filter-instructions/ http://www.wavesforwater.org/2009/06/water-filter-instructions/#comments Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:32:43 +0000 Jack http://www.wavesforwater.org/?p=202 In any situation, anywhere around the world, clean, safe drinking water is always at hand – once you have the right tools:  1 – a ‘Just Water’ Ceramic Drip filter . . . 2 – two stackable buckets with lids . . .  3 – a sharp knife or drill . . .  4 – and one tap.

Instructions: Find two stackable buckets, with two lids.

Step 1 – Drilling: Drill or cut a 3/4″ hole in the bottom of the upper bucket. Drill or cut another hole on the side of the lower bucket, close to the bottom. Drill or cut a final hole in the middle of one of the lids.  Three holes total will need to be made.

Step 2 – Tap Assembly: Place rubber washer on the tap and guide it through hole on side of lower bucket. Place second washer on the tap threads inside the bucket and screw on the wing nut snugly, but don’t over tighten.

Step 3 – Filter Assembly: Place rubber washer on the threads of the ceramic filter. Place the filter inside the upper bucket and guide the threads through the hole in the bottom. Place second washer on the threads and and screw on the wing nut snugly, but don’t over tighten.

Step 4 – Final Assembly: Place the lid with the hole in the center on top of the lower bucket (the one with the tap). Next place the upper bucket on top of the lower bucket, and guide the filter nozzle through the hole in the lid on the lower bucket.

Step 5 – Just Add Water: Fill the upper bucket with water from the cleanest source available: Rainwater, well-water, river, stream or pond.

The first five gallons will take a few hours to slowly filter down into the lower bucket. An endless supply of clean, safe drinking water is now available. Enjoy. As the clean water level goes down, keep adding water to the top bucket. this way your supply will never run out.

Included with each filter is a cotton pre-filter sock that fits over the ceramic filter if the source water is muddy.  Can see more stories and instructions in the first link in the ‘Blogroll’ column titled ‘Just Water’ Filters.