Abriem was classified as one of the worst guinea worm infested communities in the Ekumfi District. The community lacked potable water source and the main sources of drinking water is a stream.
Clinical analysis of these water sources indicated that all the water sources are full of bacteria and has an odour and has traces of iron. The results indicate a poor water supply coverage in the community. Water Coverage (defined as the number of people having access to basic level of service) indicated that 1,500 people have access to a hand-dug well (as against national standard of 150 people per hand-dug well). The distance from the community to collection point is about 1 kilometer and the follow of the water was not consistent. At the peaks of dry season people have to keep vigil in order to get few buckets of water from the well whilst the streams dry up. For sanitation, coverage at the time of survey was about 5% (as against 32% for rural/small towns). There is no public toilet and the disposal of waste leaves much to be desired.
The objective of the project to develop the capacities of people of Abriem to adopt and utilize appropriate, low-cost, and affordable technology in the provision of potable water supply and to adopt sustainable water management systems.

OUTPUT 1 Capacity of community water and sanitation committee formed, trained, and empowered to manage water systems and conservation water bodies

Planned Activities:

1.1 Organize series of community education and awareness on water, issues of health and hygiene, and environmental stewardship.
1.2 Form and train community water and Sanitation Committee
1.3 Organise special technical training for Community Water and Sanitation Committee in the operation and maintenance of water supply infrastructure, resource use, book-keeping and accounting, conflict identification, and management.
1.4 Facilitate health certification of water managers and provide them with basic working gears.
1.5 Train and empower the committees to collect, bank and manage water-user fees.
1.6 Train and assist farmers to compost household waste for vegetable farming.
1.7 Train the community members in water quality monitoring.

OUTPUT 2 Two hand-dug wells fitted with pumps and locally made filters and 10-seater eco-toilet constructed to supply potable water all year round to serve 1,500 rural poor people

Planned Activities

2.1 Mobilize local community members to construct two hand-dug wells
2.2 Mobilize community members to construct water pumping, treatment and storage house
2.3 Supply water storage and treatment facilities
2.4 Supply water pipes and other accessories.
2.5 Provide electrical accessories to pump water
2.6 Conduct clinical analysis of water before and after treatment

OUTPUT 3: 50 ha of riverine natural forest created to protect the spring/stream

The objectives for establishing the riverine forest is to:
i. Reforest degraded riverine forest for protection of the stream and biodiversity conservation,
ii. Conserve water to recharge the wells.

Planned Activities

3.1 Hold meetings with all landowner fringing the stream.
3.2 Develop and sign memorandum of understanding to conserve 3 meters on each side of the stream according to the traditional laws of the lands.
3.3 Mobilise the community to replant the reserved areas with bamboo and indigenous species using seedling from the community nursery.