Park City man launches nonprofit to provide safe drinking water worldwide – KPCW

Report on Hydro Philanthropy’s Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

A new non-profit organization, Hydro Philanthropy, has been established to address global water insecurity by applying technologies and expertise from the energy sector. Co-founded by Michael Montgomery, a veteran of the oil and gas industry, the initiative works in tandem with its sister organization, Hydrologica. This report outlines the organization’s operational model and its significant contributions to multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Core Mission: Addressing SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation)

The primary objective of Hydro Philanthropy is to provide clean and reliable water sources to communities in need, directly aligning with SDG 6.

• Targeting Global Need: The organization’s work addresses the critical issue of over 600 million people worldwide who lack access to an improved water source, a key focus of SDG Target 6.1 (achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all).
• Innovative Application of Technology: By adapting drilling techniques developed for oil and gas exploration, the organization introduces innovative and effective methods to locate and establish sustainable water wells.
• Current Operations: Projects are currently underway to advance water security in regions including Nicaragua, Guatemala, and various countries across Africa.

Interconnected Impacts on Other Sustainable Development Goals

The provision of accessible water creates a cascading positive effect, contributing to progress on several other SDGs.

1. SDG 4 (Quality Education): The organization recognizes that water insecurity creates a “poverty of time,” disproportionately affecting children who are tasked with collecting water. This duty often prevents them from attending school. By establishing local water sources, the initiative directly supports SDG 4 by freeing up children’s time, enabling them to pursue an education.
2. SDG 1 (No Poverty) & SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The organization’s model extends beyond infrastructure development to include human capital investment. A key component of their strategy is an apprenticeship program, successfully implemented in Nicaragua, which builds long-term local capacity. This program contributes to:
   • SDG 8: Creating a skilled local workforce capable of finding water, maintaining equipment, and constructing boreholes, thereby promoting sustained and inclusive economic growth.
   • SDG 1: Alleviating the “poverty of time” for the entire community, allowing adults to engage in other productive and economic activities, which is a crucial step in ending poverty in all its forms.
3. SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The formal establishment of Hydro Philanthropy as a non-profit entity is a strategic move to strengthen global partnerships for sustainable development. The organization is actively seeking to engage the public, other organizations, and governments to scale its successful model and expand its impact, embodying the collaborative spirit of SDG 17.

Conclusion

Hydro Philanthropy presents a comprehensive model for sustainable development by leveraging specialized industry knowledge for humanitarian purposes. While its central focus is SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), its methodology inherently promotes quality education (SDG 4), poverty reduction (SDG 1), and local economic growth (SDG 8). Through its commitment to building partnerships (SDG 17), the organization is poised to scale its operations and make a significant, multi-faceted contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
   • The article’s primary focus is on the work of Hydro Philanthropy, a nonprofit that “aims to bring clean and reliable water sources to communities in need.” This directly aligns with the core objective of SDG 6.
2. SDG 1: No Poverty
   • The article connects water insecurity to broader issues of poverty, stating, “there’s all kinds of other poverties that come along with that. One of those is like a poverty of time.” By providing water, the organization helps alleviate this time poverty, which is a dimension of overall poverty.
3. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • A direct link between water scarcity and education is made. The article explains that “kids don’t have time to go to school, because they spend a disproportionate amount of their time just collecting water.” Access to a local water source frees up time for children to attend school.
4. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • The article describes how the organization is “building long-term capacity within the communities it serves” through an “apprenticeship program in Nicaragua.” This program increases “the number of people who have the skills to find the water, maintain the rig and construct the borehole,” which contributes to local skills development and economic opportunities.
5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article highlights the collaboration between a for-profit entity (Hydrologica) and its “sister nonprofit” (Hydro Philanthropy). Furthermore, they are actively seeking to expand this partnership by inviting “other people to participate,” which embodies the spirit of multi-stakeholder partnerships for sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 6.1: “By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.”
   • The organization’s mission to provide “clean and reliable water sources” to communities where people “are walking to rivers and streams and springs every day to fetch water” directly addresses this target.
2. Target 6.b: “Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management.”
   • The development of an “apprenticeship program” to teach local people skills to “find the water, maintain the rig and construct the borehole” is a clear example of strengthening local community participation and capacity in water management.
3. Target 1.4: “By 2030, ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services…”
   • Providing access to an “improved water source” is a fundamental basic service. The article highlights how this access alleviates “poverty of time,” allowing people to pursue other activities.
4. Target 4.1: “By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.”
   • By reducing the “disproportionate amount of their time just collecting water,” the project enables children to attend school, which is a prerequisite for completing their education.
5. Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…”
   • The structure of the initiative, involving a for-profit company (Hydrologica) and a non-profit arm (Hydro Philanthropy) that invites public participation, is a model of a civil society and private sector partnership.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Implied Indicator for Target 6.1: Proportion of population using an improved drinking water source.
   • The article provides a baseline by stating, “There’s over 600 million people across the world that don’t have an improved water source.” The success of Hydro Philanthropy’s projects in Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Africa can be measured by the number of people in those communities who gain access to a new, improved water source.
2. Implied Indicator for Target 6.b: Number of community members with skills in water management.
   • The article mentions the “apprenticeship program” and its success in “increasing the capacity of the number of people who have the skills.” Progress can be measured by tracking the number of individuals trained and employed in water-related maintenance and construction within the community.
3. Implied Indicator for Target 4.1: School attendance rates.
   • The article implies a direct negative correlation between time spent collecting water and school attendance. An indicator of the project’s success would be an increase in school enrollment and attendance rates for children, particularly girls who often bear the primary responsibility for water collection, in the communities served.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Summary

Source: kpcw.org