Farafangana, Madagascar

We are working with the PlanetLab at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment, Health in Harmony, and local Malagasy people to understand the water quality in and around the Manombo Special Reserve in southeastern Madagascar. The region in which we are working contains more than 30 remote villages. During the summer of 2023, we collected water samples from 11 of these villages, where surface water is the predominant water source, to gain an insight into the potential contaminants in these waters. Our preliminary results indicate high levels of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in 8 of the 11 villages.

As we continue investigating the watershed in this region, we are also working with Zarasoa and Health in Harmony to develop clean water drinking solutions, such as rainwater catchment basins, in these villages.