International Rainwater Harvesting Alliance

A project in "St.Nicola" orphanage in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria

This project's objective was to introduce and promote rainwater management as an effective and decentralized solution to water supply problem. It was also to demonstrate rainwater harvesting potential as an innovation in sanitation and a means of improving hygiene in children's institutions.

In 2003, the management of the "St. Nicola" orphanage in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, was searching for means of improving conditions in their establishment. Water supply was subject to constant cuts in the mains water supply. Hygiene was deplorable and water bills were too high. The orphanage's problems corresponded to the IRHA's mission to use pilot projects to help people facing water shortages.

Based on information provided by its local partner, the Institute for Environmental Modernization, the IRHA formulated a project entitled "Rainwater Harvesting in an Orphanage in Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria". As part of the IRHA goal of introducing rainwater harvesting into Eastern European water policies, the work on the project started in September 2003.

Innovative Sanitation through Rainwater Harvesting

The "St. Nicola" orphanage is situated on a hilltop and is made up of two large buildings, one of four floors and the other of three floors, joined into an L-shape, and set up on grounds of approximately 11,000m2. In September 2003, there were 80 children, 16 child care workers and 16 administrative and ancillary staff. The orphanage management's decision to reduce the use of water and waste by eliminating the toilet flushes led to a drastic reduction of hygiene conditions.

In October 2003, the IRHA applied to the Canton of Geneva's International Solidarity Fund for financing of the project. In November 2003 the Fund awarded it with CHF50,000.

By May 2004, the technical aspects of the project had already been approved by the Bulgarian authorities. The catchment surface is made up of the 1,000m2 of roof. The guttering and drain-pipes were replaced and three small cisterns (to store the first-flush water which is considered to be polluted) were placed around the buildings. Inside, completely new plumbing prevents the mixing of the water from the mains with the rainwater carried from the main tank to the toilet flushes. When the level of rainwater in this storage tank dips below 20cm, the system automatically switches the toilet flushes on to the mains water supply.

At the beginning of August 2004, the rainwater harvesting equipment at the "St.Nicola" orphanage was already demonstrating its potential. Nevertheless, it proved to be necessary to renovate the orphanage's toilets to improve hygiene. The Sofia bureau of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation contributed financially to this last phase of the project.

The first flush of rainwater collected in the three external cisterns, though considered relatively "polluted" is also used, ant this for watering the orphanage gardens and orchards. Hosepipes are simply connected to the cisterns when necessary.

Finally, the garage roof, with its 200m2 catchment area, offered also a possibility for rainwater harvesting. The rainwater collected in two cisterns of 1m3 each, placed below the drain-pipes, is brought to the orphanage's greenhouse via gravity.

These examples illustrate only one between the multiple possible benefits which the good rainwater management can offer. The children and personnel can now irrigate their vegetable garden and fruit trees, thus benefiting from an improved diet. There has also been a strong, local awareness raising effect as not only the children and personnel, but also the inhabitants of Blagoevgrad have come to learn the value of rainwater.

With this pilot project, the IRHA's objective to give undeniable proof to local and national authorities that rainwater management should be extensively introduced in Bulgaria, was achieved.