SPOUTS OF WATER The problem: More than 10 million Ugandans, or 30% or the total population, lack access to improved water sources in Uganda. And even of the 70%, most people rely on boiled water as their main source of clean drinking water (60% of total population), which is costly and also carries a high risk of secondary contamination. As a result, diarrheal diseases remain the number of cause of death for children under the age of 5, and $170 million is lost annually due to healthcare costs and loss of productivity. Although there are many organizations on the ground working to alleviate this problem, traditional aid models often deliver short-term solutions for free and have failed in many ways. These models too heavily rely on precarious outside funding, tend to carry organizational inefficiencies, eventually gravitate to work that can appeal to donors, and lack sustainability. The solution: SPOUTS is the only local manufacturer of water filters. SPOUTS manufactures and supplies an affordable ceramic water filter that is made with local resources and materials easily found in Uganda. SPOUTS filter is affordable, easy to use and maintain and most importantly reduces the spread of waterborne diseases. At 20 USD, Ugandans can make up the cost of the filters by saving money on boiling water in just six months. Why SPOUTS of Water? The biggest advantage SPOUTS filters have over other household filter products is the low price. In addition, given the long-standing tradition of storing water in clay jugs, Ugandans prefer the taste of SPOUTS water over other sources. The clay filters also cool the water and provide a clean receptacle for the filtered water to be stored in. SPOUTS aims to eliminate problems caused by unsustainable water solutions by providing a strictly business approach to improve access to clean water throughout the entire manufacturing to delivery process.