Community Centered, Data Driven
We are ending the water crisis one community at a time.
Community Centered, Data Driven
We are ending the water crisis one community at a time.
Our approach to water security delivers sustainable, life-changing results
1.7 million people provided with safe water solutions.
We believe safe drinking water not only improves the health of rural communities in Central America, but provides a basic need that lays the foundation for building a stronger, more prosperous life. By putting people first in our mission to end the water crisis, Cova delivers solutions that improve quality of life, allowing children to attend school, parents to earn crucial income, and communities to flourish.
1,745,487 People
Total All-Time Reach Provided With Access To Safe Water Solutions
322,934 Families
Total All-Time Reach Provided With Access To Safe Water Solutions
2,672 Communities
Total All-Time Reach Provided With Access To Safe Water Solutions
Active Reach: Communities/Individuals currently participating in Cova’s Circuit Rider Model
1.7 Million Central Americans (and counting) Provided with Safe Drinking Water Solutions
Nicaragua
871,358 people served
1,467 communities served
Honduras
685,737 people served
1,101 communities served
El Salvador
188,392 people served
104 communities served
47,714 visits to partner communities to date
Helping communities become self-sufficient.
Through Cova-led capacity building, communities assume responsibility for many of the activities required to maintain and operate their water system. Moving communities from Phase 1 to Phase 3 allows a circuit rider to support an additional 100 communities.
Circuit Rider Activities
Circuit Riders routinely travel to rural communities to provide training, capacity building, technical assistance, and water quality monitoring services.
Community Phases
After 24 months of regular site visits and support by Circuit Riders, communities become self-sufficient and able to maintain their water system.
Using data to drive change
We are creating the region’s largest water quality database.
Our circuit riders gather water quality data daily from communities. All data is organized and shared with local government who in turn use these numbers to help plan and prioritize future water projects and allocate resources.
Cova’s Water Treatment System
Our water purification technology is a low-cost, low-maintenance, locally-distributed solution that attaches to any rural community’s water tank and inactivates pathogens in water systems by releasing a controlled dosage of chlorine. One system can provide safe drinking water for an entire community and requires no electricity to use.
5,976 Laboratory tests conducted to date
Ensuring communities’ water is safe. Always.
In addition to regular water quality testing in the field, samples of community’s water is brought to Cova’s laboratories for in-depth water quality assessment, testing for a dozen different parameters.
55 Schools Provided With Safe Drinking Water
Keeping Kids Healthy And In School
Children should be concentrated on school, not what’s in their drinking water. Studies show that 29% of schools globally lack safe water and sanitation. Worldwide, 443 million school days were missed due to preventable water-related diseases. In addition to providing safe water solutions to 5,189 students, Cova conducts WASH programming and education in our partner schools.
Cova is committed to helping realize the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6 to “ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.” In addition to SDG 6, Cova’s work also supports gender equality, economic growth, climate action, relieving poverty, and good health.
Results and Studies
Evidence shows that water treatment is one of the most cost-effective ways to save children’s lives.
The impact of Cova’s programs have been studied, measured, and referenced by academic researchers, departments of health, and scientific evaluations.
- Peer-reviewed article: Performance of EOS Circuit Rider Model in Honduras (ACS Environmental Science & Technology, Water, 2023)
- Passive In-Line Chlorination for Drinking Water Disinfection: A Critical Review
(Environmental Science & Technology, 2022) - Health Impact Evaluation – El Tuma, La Dalia
(Nicaragua Ministry of Health Results, 2018) - Effectiveness of CTI Water Chlorinator at Controlling Bacterial Contamination in Rural Nicaragua’s Drinking Water
(Compatible Technology International, 2015) - Circuit Rider post-construction support: improvements in domestic water quality and system sustainability in El Salvador
(Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, 2014)
