Mercy (Water and Sanitation Lead at Oxfam Kenya) hosing the inflatable concrete tank with water to set the concrete during installation. Photo credit: Rupert Gill/Oxfam
Impact stories
Innovative water storage solutions in Kenya
In a first for the region, Oxfam Kenya have installed inflatable concrete water tanks in Turkana County.
About the project
Why Turkana?
Turkana is a dry region in northwest Kenya that experiences frequent droughts and water insecurity.
As the climate crisis leads to extreme heat and increasingly unreliable rainfall, lack of access to water challenges local communities' food security and health.
Why is water storage innovation needed?
Widely used water storage methods, such as plastic, steel, and concrete water tanks, all have setbacks.
Plastic tanks, while quick to transport and easy to install, usually aren't long-term solutions, as they damage easily and often crack in extreme heat. Concrete and steel tanks are more durable, but take up to a month to install.
By combining the flexibility of fabric with the durability of concrete, this new innovation creates a water tank that is quick to set up, easy to transport, and able to be used long-term.
Rupert Gill / Oxfam
Two inflatable concrete water tanks installed in Turkana county, Kenya.
What makes these water tanks so pioneering?
These new water tanks, made by Deploy from Concrete Canvas® (a concrete-filled fabric), are both flexible and durable, creating a 14,000-litre storage solution that’s quick to install, long-lasting, and more resilient than traditional plastic tanks.
Deploy was a partner in this pilot, providing one of the tanks for free and sharing their technical expertise during the installation.
One of the biggest concerns for humanity is access to water.”
Mercy, Water and Sanitation Lead at Oxfam Kenya.
How will these new water tanks help?
“One of the biggest concerns for humanity is access to water,” says Mercy, Water and Sanitation Lead at Oxfam Kenya.
The first tanks have been installed near a local school, providing water for both the school and the surrounding community.
“These tanks will enable us to do all activities in school well.”
Sara, Headteacher.
"These tanks will enable us to do all activities in school well," says Sara, the headteacher, "These tanks will help the learners and also the community at large."
Previously, students had to travel further to a hand pump to collect water, which took them away from their learning for longer.
Mercy and her team will be monitoring the project to ensure its success.
