The 21st century confronts us with an unavoidable dilemma: more than 2.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, and nearly 800 million live without reliable electricity. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the gap is even more pronounced: 40% of the population does not have basic water services, and over 50% of rural households depend on polluting and expensive energy sources. In this context, wasted rainwater, the absence of resilient infrastructure, and reliance on fossil fuels are not merely technical failures—they are failures of vision. The GREAT Hub – Autonomous Water and Energy for the Community of Weija, Ghana breaks this logic: integrating rainwater harvesting, advanced purification, decentralized solar energy, and digital access into a circular model that transforms vulnerability into resilience.
The current market in Ghana makes this urgency clear: more than 35% of community water systems are inoperative due to technical failures, lack of maintenance, and unsustainable financial models. At the same time, reliance on diesel for pumping and community lighting drives up operational costs and causes avoidable emissions. In this scenario, the project’s strategic objective is to deliver autonomous, replicable infrastructure that ensures continuous access to safe water, reduces pressure on overexploited groundwater sources, provides clean energy for essential services, and opens pathways for educational and economic opportunities. The project’s rationale is justified in the broader context of climate change, rapid urbanization, and energy poverty, where integrated solutions multiply benefits: every cubic meter of water recovered prevents disease; every solar kilowatt replaces fossil fuels; and every digital connection enables new forms of inclusion.
The location in the peri-urban community of Weija, on the outskirts of Accra, is strategic: situated in the Densu River Basin—one of the most pressured in the country due to extraction, pollution, and deforestation—the project helps reduce demand on vulnerable sources while strengthening community governance. The actors involved ensure solidity and traceability: Heart Water as developer and technological innovator; local authorities as institutional facilitators; international allies in financing and structuring under VWBA 2.0 and WASH BA standards; and an independent verifying entity guaranteeing additionality, traceability, and intentionality of every generated benefit. This aligns the initiative with the Water Positive strategy, which measures not only what is saved, but what is replenished and regenerated with assured quality.
The GREAT Hub project addresses a critical situation: the combination of deficient water systems, unsustainable energy dependency, and digital exclusion that limits the development of peri-urban communities in Ghana. Currently, Weija suffers from recurrent water supply cuts, pollution from untreated discharges into the Densu River Basin, and high costs associated with diesel use for pumping. The technical opportunity lies in integrating proven solutions—rainwater harvesting, ultrafiltration and chlorine-free disinfection, solar panels with lithium battery storage, and community digital connectivity—into a single modular platform with real-time monitoring and digital traceability of every water and energy benefit.
The expected impact is immediate and progressive. In the short term, the community secures access to 150,000 liters per month of potable water with verified quality, enough to meet the basic needs of more than 2,000 people. In parallel, 25 kWp of solar energy replaces diesel, cutting more than 35 tons of CO₂ annually. In the medium term, reduced waterborne diseases and lower household spending on water and energy free resources for education and entrepreneurship. In the long term, replication of the model in other Densu Basin communities could scale nationwide, strengthening the resilience of thousands of households in the face of the climate and energy crisis.
The operational logic is consolidated through a multidisciplinary team: Heart Water as developer and operator; the local community as co-manager of the system; strategic partners in water, energy, and digitalization; and independent verifiers certifying benefits under VWBA and WASH BA. This model not only resolves a structural problem but also positions investors and allies as central actors in a transformative narrative: demonstrating that decentralized, regenerative infrastructure can be the most effective response to 21st-century challenges. Companies with ESG commitments, SBTN targets, or consumer-driven sustainability pressure will find in this project a visible and quantifiable leadership pathway. Acting now means turning every captured drop, every generated kilowatt, and every digital connection into tangible symbols of a sustainable, replicable, and scalable future.
The project proposes an integrated technical solution to treat surface water from the Densu River using a multibarrier sequence that ensures the removal of suspended solids, organic contaminants, and pathogenic microorganisms. The treatment includes a chemical-free physical clarification stage, followed by ultrafiltration (UF) with membranes that provide a physical barrier against viruses and bacteria. Next, an adsorption system with activated carbon is used to remove organic compounds and bad odors, concluding with chlorine-free UV disinfection to avoid unwanted byproducts. This setup complies with international standards for drinking water without relying on complex technologies or expensive inputs.
The system’s daily capacity is 10 cubic meters, which is enough to cover the basic needs of 500 people, assuming an estimated consumption of 20 liters per person per day. This volume is sufficient to supply a dispersed community through a reusable container distribution model, such as five-gallon jugs.
To ensure energy autonomy, the system is powered by a 15 kWc solar photovoltaic installation, combined with a 13.2 kWh lithium-ion battery bank. This configuration allows for continuous operation, even during nighttime or low-radiation days, ensuring a stable supply of water and energy at all times.
Complementarily, a community digital access center (IT Hub) is established, equipped with 10 recycled computers, Wi-Fi connectivity, printing services, and charging points for mobile devices. This component seeks to bridge the digital divide by providing access to educational resources and remote work tools, especially aimed at youth and women.
Finally, the system’s operation will be managed by local actors under a microenterprise model, which includes water distribution, system maintenance, and IT Hub management. This approach fosters job creation, strengthens community ownership of the project, and ensures its long-term sustainability.
Each component of the solution (water, energy, technology, and community management) is designed not only to provide services but to generate traceable additional benefits. The reduction of waterborne diseases is considered a public health benefit (SDG 3), the inclusion of women in operations strengthens equity (SDG 5), access to educational technology improves quality education (SDG 4), and decentralized solar energy reduces emissions and increases climate resilience (SDGs 7 and 13). This transversal impact enables certification under Act4Water, among others.
Implementation
The implementation of this project is organized in a logical sequence of five stages, designed to ensure effective commissioning, robust technical operation, and sustainable community ownership. Each phase is developed using appropriate technologies for rural settings without grid connection and is supported by an integrated system of measurement, control, and remote monitoring. Below is a detailed description of each stage, highlighting what is done, how it is controlled, and with which tools technical and social traceability is ensured.
Key Stages:
System Prefabrication: This stage takes place at the origin in a specialized technical center, where the main components of the water treatment system and solar system are assembled. It includes the manufacture of ultrafiltration modules, integration of UV lamps, assembly of the efficient pumping system, and preparation of electrical boards with energy controllers. Hydraulic and electrical tests are performed to ensure that the system is calibrated and functional before shipment. The modules are packed in “plug & play” containers to facilitate installation.
Transport and Installation in Weija: Once the system is dispatched, it is logistically transported to the target community. On-site installation includes connecting to the surface water source (Densu River), assembling solar panels, connecting the battery bank, and physically adapting the kiosk housing the system. Flow meters, turbidity, pressure, and temperature sensors, as well as remote monitoring interfaces, are installed.
Training of Local Operator: A local operator is selected and trained to manage the daily operation of the water system and IT Hub. Training includes operation of the filtration and disinfection system, parameter reading, basic membrane maintenance, and use of the control platform. For the IT Hub, training covers user management, computer operation, and basic use of Wi-Fi network and printing services.
Technical Start-up and Field Validation: Once the system is installed, technical commissioning is performed with functional validation of flows, treated water quality, and energy autonomy. The technical team conducts on-site sampling and tests for residual chlorine (when applicable), turbidity, E. coli, and conductivity. It is validated that the water meets WHO standards for human consumption.
Operational Support and Monitoring: During the first year, a continuous support scheme is implemented. Monthly follow-up of technical performance, energy consumption, and water quality is conducted. The system includes operational sensors connected to a remote monitoring module, allowing the technical team to evaluate the status of filters, solar accumulators, and batteries. Every six months, an independent technical audit verifies compliance with standards and provides recommendations for continuous improvement.
Community Training in Water Health: An audiovisual and in-person educational module will be designed for Weija residents, focusing on waterborne diseases, good hygiene practices, safe storage, and health alert signs. Sessions will be held at the IT Hub with support from local or virtually connected health professionals. A monthly frequency is planned with groups of 20–30 people, prioritizing mothers, caregivers, youth, and community operators.
Measurements by Stage:
Control and Monitoring:
The system includes physical and digital sensors for critical variables (pressure, flow, turbidity, charge level). A programmed control module allows automatic adjustment of membrane wash cycles and protects the system from electrical or mechanical failures. All data are stored and transmitted to a remote management platform, allowing monthly follow-up by the central technical team. Additionally, the local operator submits monthly reports that are audited semiannually by an external team to ensure transparency, performance, and traceability of the benefits.
The GREAT Hub – Water and Energy Autonomy for the Community of Weija project constitutes an integrated water compensation solution based on a multibenefit assessment standard that combines the safe provision of drinking water with positive impacts on public health, gender equity, digital access, renewable energy, and climate resilience. Its implementation in the community of Weija, located in the suburbs of Accra (Ghana), aims to close multiple structural gaps through autonomous, modular, and locally operable infrastructure adapted to off-grid environments.
The intervention focuses on the collection and treatment of surface water from the Densu River, using a multibarrier line that includes chemical-free physical clarification, membrane ultrafiltration, activated carbon, and chlorine-free UV disinfection. The system has a production capacity of 10 m³ per day, equivalent to 20 liters per person for 500 beneficiaries. Water is distributed through reusable jugs, facilitating community logistics and generating local employment.
Complementarily, the project incorporates a digital access center (IT Hub) powered by a 15 kWc solar photovoltaic installation with 13.2 kWh lithium-ion batteries. This space features recycled computers, Wi-Fi network, printing service, and electric charging points. Its goal is to improve digital literacy for children and youth, expand access to educational resources, and build capacity for remote work or local entrepreneurship.
All infrastructure is designed as a plug & play system, prefabricated at the origin and transported to site, reducing installation times and minimizing civil works. Daily operation is managed by a trained community operator, responsible for both the water system and the IT Hub, with technical support and remote monitoring during the first year. Control is performed using flow, turbidity, pressure, and temperature sensors, with continuous digital logging and semiannual validation by an external team.
The project’s benefits are not limited to the volume of water provided. They are integrated under an expanded water compensation approach that also considers:
Each of these impacts aligns with multiple Sustainable Development Goals, including access to water (SDG 6), clean energy (SDG 7), health (SDG 3), education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5), decent work (SDG 8), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), climate action (SDG 13), and partnerships (SDG 17).
The project is monitored under criteria of technical, social, and environmental traceability and additionality. Its quantifiable impact is consolidated into water compensation credits with equivalent value to water replenishment combined with expanded benefits, positioning it as a replicable model for other vulnerable communities in water-stressed regions.
