Abundant Water’s senior project officer in Timor-Leste, Chris Draper knows that plastic pollution in Timor-Leste is a serious problem. He sees it around him everywhere, every day.
In rural areas access to safe and reliable tap water is a significant challenge so packaged water is the only other option. As a consequence, discarded single use plastic containers clog up gutters and drains, collect as debris on the shoreline and in waterways, and pile up in wind swept, filthy heaps. Eventually it all breaks down into poisonous microplastics consumed by animals and people.
So Chris and his team are working on a solution, engaging directly with local communities tackling both the pollution and supply challenge head-on. Abundant Water is turning waste into opportunity, clearing the way for a cleaner, healthier Timor-Leste.
Discarded plastic water bottles, cans and debris, on a beach, illustrate the extent of pollution along parts of the Timor-Leste shoreline.
Caltech, Timor’s local waste management company estimates over 100 million plastic containers are discarded every year. Some of the plastic waste is burnt in furnaces contributing to respiratory illnesses in the surrounding communities. The rest is left to collect unchecked, representing a toxic time bomb.
Local organisations are trying to alleviate the problem by running regular cleanups, but they are hamstrung by THE one big problem across the country. Clean, safe water is not widely available outside of the capital, Dili. As a consequence Timor is playing a game of catch-up, never being able to take the steps necessary to put an end to plastic pollution.
Much of the plastic waste is made up of single use cups and bottles
In Timor, contaminated water is a significant health concern, especially for kids. Poor access to clean water can lead to poorer health outcomes, such as diarrhea and malnutrition. So families will often spend in excess of USD $200 on packaged water per year to stay healthy. But if they need more water while at school or at work, it can add another USD $5-6 per week to household budgets, bumping up the annual costs to around USD $500 a year. For the average family that’s over a third of their income.
Where bottled water is not an option, many Timorese will boil untreated water sourced from a local waterway. However, firewood may be challenging to come by in some communities. Some families will purchase fuel for USD $0.25 a small bundle. This adds to the cost of accessing clean water to the tune of USD $40 a year.
A single water filter can replace as many as a dozen prepackaged water bottles in a single cycle.
Abundant Water’s mission is to work with local communities to help provide the answer. Using simple, low-cost and light weight water filters, our organisation is providing a sustainable, long-term solution. The filters remove 99.9% of waterborne pathogens and contribute to a reduction in the use of bottled water, plastic waste and CO2 emissions, boosting public health.
Crucially, this solution is based on a sustainable model - it’s community-led, local vendors are trained to promote, sell, and maintain the filters which allows them to earn an income. By supporting local entrepreneurs, Abundant Water is building powerful distribution networks that reach deep into local communities. The approach ensures affordability and helps households take control of their own water security. In a country where the cost of prepackaged water can be out of reach, Abundant Water is proving that safe, accessible solutions can, and must, be locally driven to be economically sustainable
Abundant Water, an Australian volunteer-led organisation, is taking action, now. Our work is already making a tangible difference in Timor-Leste, the Philippines, and Laos. But we need your help to go further, faster. Even the smallest contribution can mean clean water, better health, and renewed hope for families in need.
Act now - Because clean water can’t wait