The Ceramic Water Purifiers project by Hydrologic aims to provide safe drinking water to households in Cambodia while reducing reliance on conventional water treatment methods that use non-renewable biomass or Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). The initiative is projected to cut over 592,000 tCO2e in emissions during its second 7-year crediting period, which runs from December 1, 2017, to November 30, 2024.

Water-borne diseases are a major health issue in the developing world, and in Cambodia, diarrheal diseases are a leading cause of mortality among children under five. Despite the availability of surface water, its quality is often poor. Research by the project developers revealed that boiling water with non-renewable biomass is the most common method of water treatment among households.

The Ceramic Water Purifier (CWP) program aims to change this by providing an affordable and effective alternative. Unlike previous CWP initiatives in Cambodia that struggled commercially, this project leverages carbon finance to become economically viable, significantly improving public health and household welfare.

The CWP system, which requires no external energy or resources, can filter and store enough water to meet the needs of a family of five. By replacing wood-burning stoves for boiling water, the CWP system also reduces indoor air pollution, leading to fewer respiratory illnesses. The project is expected to provide clean drinking water to approximately 1.7 million people.

Hydrologic Social Enterprise Ltd., the project developer, is a subsidiary of the International Development Enterprise (iDE), a global organization founded in 1982 with the mission to alleviate poverty through empowering entrepreneurs and fostering economic, social, and environmental equity.