Buksh Energy launches Solar Water Filtration Plant in Rural Sahiwal

Karachi, September 12, 2013: Buksh Energy installed its first solar water filtration plant in Chak 115 – Sahiwal District. The installation is part of the initiative Buksh Energy has taken with its sister company, Buksh Foundation, one of many ways in which the two organizations work to support and uplift the rural communities of Pakistan. Together, they founded the Lighting a Million Lives (LAML) project, which collaborates with local multilateral corporations to sponsor the conversion of villages in rural Punjab, which suffer from severe load shedding or are not connected to the grid at all, to solar power. Having received recognition for their exemplary social contributions both locally and internationally, Buksh Energy is, with this latest project, building on the existing base in the alternative energy sector and ushering it into another aspect of village life in Pakistan which requires much attention and improvement: the dearth of clean water.

These solar water filtration plants function based on the principle of reverse osmosis, providing sanitary and hygienic water in areas with a low water table. A single plant will supply unpolluted water for drinking, cleaning, cooking and irrigation to 100 – 150 households. The filtration plant installed in Sahiwal is only 240W, but for the people of Chak 115, it is plenty. Since the plant is not excessively large, it will not require any alternate source of energy, such as a generator or electricity from the grid. Its water delivery is of 700 – 900 liters per hour and has the capacity to store up to 6,000 liters of water.

The solar water filtration plant in Sahiwal was made operational in the presence of the local people of the district. Buksh Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Asim Buksh, also visited the site to show his support for the people of Sahiwal and discuss the magnitude of the changes it would bring to their lives.
While speaking to the district locals, Mr. Buksh said, “I am immensely proud to announce that this is the first of many solar water filtration plants that Buksh Energy is installing in rural Punjab. Not only will the people of the community be able to access clean water, but they will also have opportunities for employment and an increased disposable income due to the fact that they will no longer have to spend a large portion of it on getting water.

These plants will benefit hundreds of individuals and households, providing them with uncontaminated water, greatly reducing the risk of water borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, diarrhea, intestinal worms and hepatitis. Furthermore, now that the residents of Chak 115 have access to clean water, there will be fewer still births and a reduction in infant mortality rates in rural areas. They will also have access to water for their irrigation as needed, as the plant will be running on solar and will not depend on alternate sources.

Speaking on the successful launch of the Solar Water Filtration Plant, Ms. Fiza Farhan, CEO Buksh Foundation stated: “It is quite an emotionally fulfilling experience for the entire team of Buksh Foundation & Buksh Energy to see the realization of our mutual vision of “Impact Investment” first with the success and scale achieved by Lighting a Million Lives project that has helped provide solar electricity & mobile charging facility to more than 75 villages in 12 districts of the country and now with what will be a largely scalable & sustainable socio-economic development model i.e. Drop of Sun- which aims to set up similar Solar Water Filtration Plants in the 4,000 Villages we will be providing electricity to under LAML.”

Both organizations are working across Pakistan with a diverse set of donors & partners to improve the quality of lives for the rural communities of the country, making them self-reliant in getting access to sustainable energy and clean water, helping them have a healthier, safer lifestyle.