Community Water Solutions

Bringing Clean Water to Communities in Need

Over 884 million people across the world lack access to an improved water supply.

Woman running treatment center at Kasaligu

How We Help

CWS implements sustainable water businesses in communities of the developing world. These businesses employ inexpensive and simple water treatment technologies and are adaptable to any community. Read more about the CWS Model or CWS Mission.

What We've Done

In only our first year, we have provided a permanent source of safe drinking water to over 2,500 people, including over 600 children in three villages in the northern region of Ghana: Kasaligu, Nyamaliga, and Jarigu. Read more about our work.

Who We Are

Our team brings a range of specialized skills and experience to the CWS organization, with backgrounds from MIT, Harvard, Columbia, Dartmouth and the University of Virginia as well as field experience in Africa and Latin America.

How You Can Help

Although selling clean water generates enough revenue to sustain the water treatment businesses, CWS relies on grants and donations in order to provide each village with the capital needed to start their business. There are various ways to support our efforts , and every little bit helps! The more we raise, the more villages we can help! We're very grateful to those who've already given us so much!

Get Involved

Interested in volunteering in Africa? Want to learn more about the global water crisis? Sick of your desk job and looking for experience working in the field? Apply for the new CWS Fellowship Program!

Get In Touch

As a community-focused organization, we always encourage communication and would love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, or anything that's on your mind regarding our work. Please feel free to reach out to us.

In the Field

Follow our progress and challenges in rural Ghana on the CWS Blog.

Updates

02.06.10: The First Annual Fundraiser for CWS, featuring a live performance by the Rhythm Room Live! The event is being held at the Kingsbury Club in Medfield, MA and starts at 7pm. Tickets are $50 can be purchased at Lord's Department Store in Medfield or by emailing kclopeck@communitywatersolutions.org. We hope to see you there!

02.02.10: CWS's simple, sustainable model is featured in new column on Just Means.

01.25.10: CWS is excited to announce our new Fellowship Program!

01.18.10: iContact becomes CWS's fifth Village Sponsor and second CWS sponsor!

01.11.10: CWS selected as a semi-finalist for the Echoing Green Fellowship!

12.21.09: CWS secures a spot on Global Giving.

12.14.09: Gerry and Judy O'Connell become CWS's fourth Village Sponsor!

12.10.09: MIT Sloan auction raises over $9,000 for CWS. Thank you for your support!

12.06.09: CWS team presents our community water treatment approach at MIT's Engineers Without Borders technology workshop.

12.03.09: CWS competes in the final round of the PACE pitch competition!

11.30.09: CWS gives presentation for the Biology of Water and Health class at the Tuft's School of Public Health.

11.25.09: CWS selected as a beneficiary for the MIT Sloan Charity Auction! The Auction takes place on December 10th.

11.24.09: Global Giving fundraising challenge begins! Visit the our Global Giving page and help us win the competition!

11.15.09: Polls open for Chase Community Giving contest. Vote for CWS and help us win $25,000!

11.11.09: CWS presents at Columbia Business School's Fall Venture Fair.

11.08.09: CWS selected as a finalist for the PACE pitch competition!

09.17.09: The CWS Blog officially up and running! Follow our progress and challenges at:CWS Blog.

08.30.09: Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Clopeck become CWS's third village sponsor!

08.01.09: CWS 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, August 1st in Nantucket, MA was a huge success! Thank you to everyone who came out to show their support!

06.01.09: The CWS Facebook Causes Community becomes CWS's second Village Sponsor!

05.15.09: Volunteer Shredding, Greg & Susan Gintoff, becomes CWS's first Village Sponsor!

01.25.09: CWS hires Peter Biyom as full-time Village Monitor for Kasaligu.

01.23.09: CWS hires Peter Abaazan Adagwine as full-time Project Manager for Tamale region.

01.16.09: Second CWS water treatment center opens in Nyamaliga, Ghana!

01.13.09: CWS team finishes setting up the water treatment center in Nyamaliga.

01.10.09: Nyamaliga chief and elders nominate Sanatu and Howa to work at the CWS water treatment center and they accept! Water treatment training begins!

01.08.09: CWS team meets with the chief and elders of Nyamaliga to propose water treatment center and discuss center hours, water pricing and potential women to run the center.

01.02.09: CWS team arrives in Tamale, Ghana.

12.10.08: CWS awarded Legatum grant

11.10.08: CWS awarded Public Service Center fellowship and grant

10.15.08: CWS appears on "High Tech Fever TV" on CCTV "Joost Bonsen's tv show interviewing inventors, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and other key players in our exponential innovation economy"

10.03.08: CWS presents water treatment model at MIT's International Development Fair.

09.10.08: CWS pilot project featured in MIT's Tech Talk.

09.09.08: CWS presents results of pilot study at Public Service Center Fellows dinner.

09.04.08: CWS (formally known as KasiKom) featured in MIT Civil and Environmental Engineering News article.

08.01.08: CWS team returns to the U.S.

06.18.08: First CWS water treatment center opens in Kasaligu, Ghana!

06.16.08: Kasaligu committee nominates Fati to work at the CWS water treatment center and she accepts! Fati selects Azara as the second woman to run the center. Water treatment training begins!

06.11.08: CWS team finishes setting up the water treatment center in Kasaligu.

06.09.08: First community meeting with Kasaligu!

06.08.08: CWS team meets with the chief of Kasaligu to propose water treatment center pilot test.

06.06.08: CWS team arrives in Tamale, Ghana.

06.02.08: CWS team attends the World Health Organization's International Network to Promote Household Drinking Water Treatment and Safe Storage Conference in Accra, Ghana.

04.20.08: CWS wins the 2008 Millennium Action Challenge.

04.15.08: CWS awarded two Public Service Center Summer Fellowships to implement CWS pilot in Ghana.