One Million Rural Cisterns

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Brazil

Since 2002, the P1MC’s aim has been to build one million cisterns to collect rain water to provide a sustainable means of overcoming water shortages in semi-arid rural areas. The Brazilian semi-arid region is one of the most populous regions of the world, in which 36 million people have little access to potable water. P1MC´s innovation lies in the combination of collecting rain water and making it available to communities in rural areas through strong family, communal and civil society engagement. Jointly with the rural communities, P1MC has established a training process aiming to involve one million families in the construction of cisterns to collect rain water. 

Eco-Inclusive Impacts
P1MC increases the rainwater storage capacity in rural areas and contributes to stimulating the economy through employment generation and income increase of the community members.
  • Generating employment and income in the communities.
  • Assisting to lighten women’s domestic work and more children attend school.
  • Decreasing the number of people suffering from diseases due to contaminated water.
  • Reducing the loss of water due to evaporation.
  • Increasing the rainwater storage capacity in rural areas which is reducing the groundwater extraction and keeping the water table high.
  • Contributing to stimulate the economy.
  • Generating new employment opportunities and increasing the income of masons, young people, trainers of the families, and craftsmen.

 

Partners

Local NGOs and local community associations have joined forces with the national government and international agencies to develop and build one million home cisterns to collect and store rainwater in the semi-arid region, bringing access to potable water for poor rural families.

Association One Million Cistern Program to the Semiarid Region (AP1MC) is the central managing unit.

Micro-regional Managing Units (UGM), an NGO, mobilises, registers, selects and trains the rural families in building cisterns and working with the communities to ensure water supply.

The Ministry of Social Development, Food Security and Nutrition (MDS) finances P1MC´s activities with public resources from the Zero Hunger Program.