An alternative long-term water solution

Tree Planting is classified by the Freetown City Council as a hard-to-reach and vulnerable community due to its hilly terrain, poor road access, and lack of essential services. With 5,000 residents, most living below the poverty line, the community faces severe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) challenges, leading to disease outbreaks and frequent flooding due to poor waste management, especially during the rainy season, with indiscriminate waste blocking the water ways.

Over 30 female-headed households rely on urban farming, but increased water scarcity due to climate change, especially during the dry season (January–April), threatens their crops. Additionally, the use of chemical fertilizers poses environmental risks by contaminating water resources including groundwater and surface water. 

To address these issues, the SAFE Project (October 2022-September 2025), funded by Guernsey Overseas Aid and Development Commission, aims to provide safe and sustainable drinking water for 4,500 residents, improve solid waste management and promote the use of organic manure as compost and ensure reliable water access for 30 urban farming households.

Following 2 failed borehole drillings, a spring box was proposed using an existing natural spring. This learning paper presents the impact, lessons learned and recommendations from the experience.