SOLVillion

Jordan is a developing country and the second world's water scarcity country; has received more than a million refugee just in the past ten years and is still providing support for them, regarding to the USAID, population in Jordan will duplicate in 2047, as well as the demand on water and sanitation

On the other hand, 31% of Jordan population are not connected to the sewerage system; citizens & refugees suffer from, high costs of slugging the absorption holes and illegal discharge and/or overflow of wastewater, which pollutes underground reservoirs.

DWWS-Decentralized Waste Water System is the solution as an affordable, sustainable, and on-site solution, which is easy to maintain, install and operate, to help people to recycle their wastewater, irrigate their gardens, reduce water bill & by 60% and eliminate monthly Discharge expenses. In addition, to get rid of bad smell, health and environment hazards.

More than 2.3 billion people globally don’t have access to basic sanitation, many of them live in rural areas; 75% live in Asia. In Jordan 31% of the citizens aren’t connected to sewerage system (Ministry of Water and Irrigation, 2017), citizens suffer from polluted underground reservoirs, unpleasant smell, high costs of slugging absorption holes and illegal slugging of wastewater in valleys and agricultural areas;  90% of the water pollution complains in Al Yarmouk district (northern Jordan) are because of the absorption holes, also in Al KHaldieh district there are more than 10000 absorption holes threaten the environment (Al Ghad Newspaper) 

Moreover, Jordan is the second world's water scarcity country, and due to climate change the precipitation rates are decreasing, thus Jordan considered as semi-arid country. Furthermore, Jordan located in one of the most turbulent resigns in the world, and due to its key role in assisting the neighbouring countries in resettlement of refugees, specifically the Syrian refugees, water; sanitation resources experience a huge pressure.       

Therefore, there is an urgent need to be proactive toward water issues, like decentralized wastewater treatment system where according to the USAID the population will be duplicated by 2047, also the demand on water and sanitation.

1. People who do not have access to SEWERAGE system and have gardens in their houses(around 20% of the population); with DWWS as a simple technology and affordable system, people in rural areas, who are mainly have low income, will be able to recycle their wastewater and reuse it in their gardens and will rid of bad smells and health and environment hazards. 

NGOs and societal organization for refugees camps and/or they interest in SDG No.6 clean water and sanitation as  development programs in developing countries: due the fluxes of refugees the government and NGOs face huge pressure to solve sanitation issue in refugees' camps, thus through building partnerships with such organizations we will help refugees & citizens in marginalized communities to settle down in a healthy atmosphere and without extra costs.  

Decentralized wastewater treatment system based on recycled plastic tanks, which capable individuals that do not have access to sanitation system to recycle their wastewater in a simple technology, safe, environmental, economic system. also, they can reuse the recycled water to irrigate their gardens, reduce water bills and eliminate monthly Discharge expenses. In addition, to get rid of bad smell, health and environment hazards.

SOLVillion provides DWWS as an on-site decentralized wastewater (black water) recycling system, the system targets customers like (households, NGOs, societal charities).

The following qualities distinguish DWWS from its local and international competitors, who provide concrete and plastic decentralized wastewater treatment systems in the market;

• the resultant water totally could be used in agricultural gardening
• Customized system
• Easy to be installed, operated and maintained
• Low energy consumption
• Possibility to use solar energy (up on the customer request) 
• SOLVillion provides pre and post consultation
• SolVillion conducts workshops and training courses in order to raise the awareness from the side of citizens and to provide the market with qualified engineers who will be able to come up with new practical, smart, low cost solutions, which will help us in improve our system and design new solutions from the other side.

the following table shows the differences between DWWS and other alternatives:

anaerobic and aerobic combined biological process for  wastewater treatment technology.
Wastewater  goes through consecutive stages of treatment:

1.Primary mechanical sedimentation stage: where sludge sediment through this stage due to the gravity
2.Anaerobic stage: Carbon dioxide and methane gases are produced in this stage, through a biological process; organic substances in the wastewater are digested by microbes in absence of oxygen.
3.Aerobic stage: in presence of oxygen (blowers and diffusers; air stones), and locally manufactured plastic medias provide suitable environment to microorganisms to live and feed on organic materials in the wastewater to produce at the end of this stage treated water.
4.Collection stage: where the resultant water is collected to be used.
Irrigation stage: drip irrigation system is used to deliver the resultant water to plants in the garden.

After a broad study on the wastewater management market, we conducted a field study to determine the status of the Jordanian market, one to one interviews had been done to evaluate the problem and the applicability of DWWS as a sustainable solution from Jordanian people perspective, particularly who live in rural areas. Moreover, we had many meetings with the national research centers and non-profit organizations which concerned to achieve the sixth SDG: clean water and sanitation for all. through the first visit to some districts in northern Jordan one can immediately realize to which level the problem reached( just from the sewage smell which is discharged in valleys) 

According to the results of analyzed data, we decided to start with northern Jordan and built the first prototype in Ras Muneef, Ajlun, Jordan. the prototype was funded by the Royal Scientific Society RSS to serve a 14 family house members.

SOLVillion has provided so far workshops to 30 fresh graduates and intern two engineers. besides building prototypes of the system we believe that social media is crucial to reach as many people as possible to rise their awareness toward the environmental and health problems that the traditional sanitation system(absorption holes) causes. 

currently:

The Royal Scientific society, was the first client to DWWS, a prototype installed in Ras Muneef district, Ajlun to serve a fourteen house members, where the daily fresh water consumption per capita is70L, and the daily production of treated water is equal to1.2m3, tests are conducted on a monthly bases to measure water qualities and they approved the system efficiency.

SOLVillion had trained 30 undergraduates and fresh graduates, also interned 2engineers who pursues and completed their masters degree, and created job opening for six people 

In-one-year:

We are at the final stage of signing an agreement with MERCY CORPS to install six systems in societal organizations in northern Jordan goveronates; Irbid, Jerash, Mafraq &Ajlun, the average users of those organizations bathrooms=13800 capita/month, hence each system will serve3450citizen/weak. 

It also aims to intern120undergraduates and fresh graduates, conducts campaigns to raise the public awareness&cultivates the influencers in those rural communities. 

besides other agreements we’re working on throughout this year with UNICEF, ACTION AGAINST HUNGER,THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURE RESEARCH CENTER….

In-five-years:

Regarding our plan we will be officially exist in the local market, and we will be already had entered the regional market, where countries have the same problem and geographical, economic and cultural circumstances as Jordan.

We will help thousands to recycle their wastewater on-site and reuse it. Also we will help university students and fresh graduates to develop their competencies, as well engineers and technician to have new job opportunities, on the local and regional levels.   

In the next year   

Through funds we want to build 12 systems across the kingdom in each of the 12 governates, for numerous purposes: help individuals who will be directly connected to those 12 decentralized wastewater treatment system to recycle their wastewater and reuse it in home gardening, Arrange more training courses for local people in each gavernate; training courses for 30 individuals per each prototype, measure the system efficiency in different circumstances since the south of Jordan is different from the north and to test amendments that we attempts to apply on the system to increase the water quality hence have more uses of the resultant water,  besides open new job vacancies. 

these prototypes are to achieve water saving on average of (360 cubic meters/year/system) as an alternative water resource to gardens irrigation, reduced Water bill by 60 % and reduced wastewater discharge by 60 %. the aim of this step is to give people who are live in rural areas the chance to touch the advantages of the system as a sustainable, affordable and low technology wastewater treatment system. 

In the next five years, 

our plan is to enter the regional markets Egypt and Lebanon and to develop our production line. 

The low awareness in the local community in Jordan specially in rural areas is the main barrier to the Decentralized Waste Water system DWWS, the common way to get rid of buildings wastewater that are not connected to sanitation system is Absorption Holes, those holes neither seepage to underground reservoirs or discharged through tanks, discharging  the wastewater in valleys and agricultural areas is common in Jordan.

Also Jordan suffers from the low number of qualified people to work in the wastewater treatment sector, hence SOLVillion mission is to develop DWWS system and increase the community awareness, as well as intern interested graduates who want to work in this market. 

• Workshops, competitions  and orientation sessions.
• Internship opportunities for engineers and technicians.
• Building prototypes in the main cities in Jordan to let people directly touch the advantages of the system as an environmental, affordable, on-site, and sustainable wastewater treatment system.
• Door to door and social media marketing.
• Build strategic Partnerships with NGOs and civil society associations to help SOLVillion to reach more people and to support cost sharing strategies for unfortunate people.
• publish articles and newsletters to rise awareness and keep interested people updated with DWWS system.   

Motaz Al-Thaher

• Operation Manager-Co-founder, full-time 

Aia Abul-Haj

• Business Development Manager-Co-founder, full-time 

Zain Abul-Haj

• Project Engineer, full-time 

Samar Asaad

• Proposal Engineer, part-time

Zaid Swalmeh

• Site  Engineer, part-time 

Khaled Hassouneh

• sanitation and plumping technician, part-time 

The other co-founder of DWWS Motaz Althaher who has BA in Mechanical Engineering and I have a great integrated experience where Motaz has 9 years of experience, particularly 5 years in design and manufacturing plastic tanks and mechanical fields servicing ( he has a Professional Engineer  certificate from Jordan Engineers Association). hence he is the responsible for technical issues and logistics

For me Aia, I have 7 years of experience in business and development management, besides my master degree in Built environment that I am pursuing; research work, technical writing of newsletters, proposals and articles are my responsibilities. However,  representing the project in local and international conferences is both of us responsibility.    

Samar has BA in Civil Engineering with 4 years of experience, has concrete background of technical writing, research and proposals. 

zain has BA in Civil Engineering, as a project engineer with 3 years of experience is responsible to supervise reinforced concrete works where the system installed on a reinforced concrete base if the customer choose to keep it over ground. also she speaks Turkish which is beneficial in logistics with turkey. 

Zaid is pursuing MA in Nano Technology, he is the responsible for the overall installation and operation of the system. 

Mr. Khalid with his long experience in plumping and sanitation for more than 13 years, he is the responsible technician to install the sanitation components of the system.   

Incubation: CEWAS Middle East, Shamal Start, Injaz, Tank by Umneh,

Prototyping & First Customer: Royal Scientific Society RSS.

Partnerships: Arab Innovation Network, Switchmed , National Agriculture Resource Center, Arab GROUP FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATURE and Arab Innovation Network. 

Customers: Mercy Corps, Action Against Hanger 

DWWS has a robust model for sustainability which is presented by: Revolving partnerships, knowledge give-and-take, simplicity of design and quality standards explained as following :

Revolving partnership & Communication: building relationship with other foundations, NGO’s , Civil society Charities, Manipulates  and local initiatives in addition to  attending special events will help us to reach users, get the support and fund to start and market our project as well as raise the awareness and empower people in solving water and sanitation challenges.

Knowledge give-and-take: Community based projects in sanitation, and Health Impact Assessment & Hygiene Trainings that will be conducted in above-mentioned partnerships will raise the awareness from one side and come up with new practical, smart, low cost solutions, which will help us in improve our system and design new solutions from other side. Simplicity of Design & Quality Standards: the system is designed with the principle of simplicity, using components available in local market, which eliminate the shipping and exporting cost and support the usage of local, available resources. Through a specialized, innovative team, who will continually invest in research and development, the design aims to meet the users’ needs . the project will always meet national and international standards from the design to maintenance processes  

Through the fund of Solve Global SOLVillion will be able to expand from the north of Jordan to conduct workshops in the other governates, provide more internship opportunities to the youth who have potential to work in wastewater field, and evolve marketing strategies since they are essential to achieve the vision of the project" provide decentralized wastewater treatment system to every citizen that don't have access to sanitation system". hence assessing SOLViollion to rise the awareness and reach to more people since it is difficult to people who live out side of the capital city Amman to get benefits of our efforts in Amman. Furthermore, development and research work on the system to reduce treatment stages thus reduce the cost to the end used.   

the second part of the prize is the more rewarding for SOLVillion team, where the 12 months of professional mentorship, as well building concrete network in the domain will help the team to develop its strategies, and to build deeper relationships with the national associations where they will help to reach larger social slice.     

1. Bill Gates foundation - wastewater treatment program for product development 

2. UN Water  -  As a policy adviser for water in developing countries like Jordan 

the type of partnerships we need is : 

1.Implementing partner as NGO working to achive SDG#6 in developing countries 

2.Product development partner as a mentor and adviser 

3.Access to investor,donors, funders partner 

since we attempt this year to built 12 prototypes in the 12 Jordanian governates, the wastewater system prototypes are to serve another 12 families to recycle their wastewater on-site, hence achieve water saving around (360 cubic meters/year/system) as an alternative water resource to irrigation, reduced Water bill by 60 % and reduced water discharge by 60 %
The main purpose of these prototypes is to give people who are live in rural areas to touch the advantages of the system as a sustainable, affordable and low technology waste water treatment system.