SPOUTS of Water: Ceramic Filters Ending Waterborne Disease in Uganda

SPOUTS International is a Kampala-based social enterprise that manufactures Purifaaya ceramic water filters from locally sourced Ugandan clay, giving households an affordable alternative to boiling water over charcoal or wood fires. The filters remove bacteria and parasites to a standard equivalent to boiled or bottled water and are sold to households, schools, health clinics and refugee settlements across the country. Since 2015, SPOUTS has sold roughly 70,000 filters, extending long-term access to safe drinking water to about 400,000 Ugandans. By replacing fuel-intensive boiling, the filters also cut household spending on charcoal and reduce smoke exposure in the kitchen.