AquaCarbon-project (Ghana)

In Ghana, over 5.5 million people lack access to safe drinking water. Most rely on water from boreholes, often using hand pumps. The main water quality issues are bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella. Unfortunately, local communities often cannot afford suitable solutions, and project funding typically lasts only a few years, leaving communities back at square one once the funding ends.

To address these challenges, the AquaCarbon project provides a sustainable solution for safe water and a viable business model. Funded by Partners voor Water (Netherlands Enterprise Agency) and Invest International (Dutch Ministry of Finance), the project aims to improve water quality by upgrading 65 hand pumps in the Northern Region with BAR community water treatment systems. Element15’s customized bacteria filter makes the water safe to drink, while local expertise facilitates community adoption of the project. Additionally, BAR will be certified by the World Health Organization during this project.

Element15, in collaboration with Climate Focus, will demonstrate a business model based on carbon credit financing. Currently, people boil borehole water with firewood and charcoal to make it safe, leading to high carbon emissions. With BAR installed, this boiling is unnecessary, reducing carbon emissions. These reductions are certified for carbon credits according to Gold Standard, and the credits are then sold to corporations and governments looking to offset their unavoidable emissions. The income from these carbon credits will cover operational expenses and sustain the project for many years.