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Food
A small reverse-osmosis station that purifies drinking water and fills reusable 19-litre jugs for homes, shops and offices, with regular delivery.
Where it fits:SyriaYemenThe GambiaNigeriaTürkiyeMoroccoIndonesia
Food
A small reverse-osmosis station that purifies drinking water and fills reusable 19-litre jugs for homes, shops and offices, with regular delivery.
Where it fits:SyriaYemenThe GambiaNigeriaTürkiyeMoroccoIndonesia
More and more families buy purified water because it is safer than tap water, and cafés, restaurants and offices use it in large quantities. Water purification and filling is therefore a productive business with steady demand.
The original study describes a full factory that blows plastic bottles from preforms, purifies water, fills, caps, labels and wraps, with equipment costing about $1.2 million and 10 workers. That is far beyond micro-business scale.
The version suited to İktifa Vakfı support is a small purification and filling station: water passes through pre-filters, a reverse-osmosis unit and UV sterilisation, then fills reusable 19-litre jugs or customers' own containers for delivery. Small ready-made bottles can be added later; the station does not make bottles itself.
A small 250 to 500 litre/hour station can fill about 100 to 200 jugs of 19 litres per day (estimate).
For comparison, the large factory in the study purifies 1,000 litres/hour (8,000 per 8-hour shift), blows 1,100 bottles/hour, fills 24 one-litre bottles per minute (11,520 per shift) and labels 1,000 bottles/hour.
Selling purified water is a food activity and is usually supervised by health authorities and the municipality. Check local municipality, health authority and trade registry requirements before starting, and test the water regularly in an accredited laboratory. In some countries licensing for packaged water is very strict.
Skills needed: operating and maintaining the RO system (filters, membranes, TDS readings), hygiene and jug sterilisation, and managing orders, delivery and payments.
| Equipment | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reverse-osmosis system 250 to 500 L/h with sand, carbon and 5-micron pre-filters | 1 | ≈ $1,200 to $2,500 (estimate) |
| UV steriliser | 1 | ≈ $150 to $400 (estimate) |
| Food-grade water tanks, 1,000 L (raw and purified) | 2 | Stainless steel preferred for purified water; ≈ $300 to $900 (estimate) |
| Pressure and filling pumps | 2 | ≈ $150 to $300 (estimate) |
| Semi-automatic jug washing and filling station | 1 | ≈ $500 to $1,200 (estimate) |
| Capper and cap heat-shrink tool | 1 | ≈ $50 to $150 (estimate) |
| Reusable 19 L jugs | 100-200 | Given to customers against a deposit; ≈ $400 to $900 (estimate) |
| TDS meter and test kit | 1 | ≈ $20 to $50 (estimate) |
Reverse-osmosis system 250 to 500 L/h with sand, carbon and 5-micron pre-filters
Quantity: 1
≈ $1,200 to $2,500 (estimate)
UV steriliser
Quantity: 1
≈ $150 to $400 (estimate)
Food-grade water tanks, 1,000 L (raw and purified)
Quantity: 2
Stainless steel preferred for purified water; ≈ $300 to $900 (estimate)
Pressure and filling pumps
Quantity: 2
≈ $150 to $300 (estimate)
Semi-automatic jug washing and filling station
Quantity: 1
≈ $500 to $1,200 (estimate)
Capper and cap heat-shrink tool
Quantity: 1
≈ $50 to $150 (estimate)
Reusable 19 L jugs
Quantity: 100-200
Given to customers against a deposit; ≈ $400 to $900 (estimate)
TDS meter and test kit
Quantity: 1
≈ $20 to $50 (estimate)
Source: Mains, well or tanker
Cost: ≈ $0.5 to $2 per 1,000 L (estimate)
Must be analysed before choosing the system
Source: Water-treatment equipment dealers
Cost: ≈ $20 to $40 per month (estimate)
Pre-filters every 1 to 3 months
Source: Packaging suppliers and local printers
Cost: ≈ $0.05 to $0.13 per jug (estimate)
Label should show batch and date
Source: Chemical suppliers
Cost: ≈ $10 to $20 per month (estimate)
For jugs, tanks and filling area
İktifa buys the equipment in the owner's name and presence, up to about $2,000. No cash changes hands.
The project starts working before any repayment, with mentoring through the first year.
Instalments follow a schedule agreed with the owner, based on the feasibility study.
Repayments, and 15% of profits to the local fund, equip the next skilled person.
Exact amounts and schedules are agreed for each project after the feasibility study.
Have the source water analysed in a laboratory to choose the right treatment stages.
Pass the water through sand, activated-carbon and 5-micron filters, then the reverse-osmosis unit, and store it in a stainless-steel tank.
Pass purified water through a UV steriliser (or ozone in larger systems) just before filling.
Inspect empty jugs, then wash and rinse them inside with pressurised water and food-safe sanitiser.
Fill the jugs, fit and heat-seal the caps, and mark the production date and batch number; add labels.
Deliver to subscribers and shops on fixed routes and collect empty jugs for the next cycle.
Check TDS daily, run regular laboratory tests and replace filters and membranes on schedule.
Applicable countries
Tap water quality is poor in many areas and small purification stations are in demand.
Strong need for safe drinking water; small stations are common.
Packaged water is in demand; follow health authority requirements.
Large market for packaged water; registration and quality rules must be checked.
Strict licensing for packaged water and strong brands; a distribution model may fit better.
Licensing requirements and competition need checking first.
Refill stations are common, so competition is high.
Use this project model as the basis of your in-kind support application. Adapt it to your local market and capacity.
More and more families buy purified water because it is safer than tap water, and cafés, restaurants and offices use it in large quantities. Water purification and filling is therefore a productive business with steady demand.
The original study describes a full factory that blows plastic bottles from preforms, purifies water, fills, caps, labels and wraps, with equipment costing about $1.2 million and 10 workers. That is far beyond micro-business scale.
The version suited to İktifa Vakfı support is a small purification and filling station: water passes through pre-filters, a reverse-osmosis unit and UV sterilisation, then fills reusable 19-litre jugs or customers' own containers for delivery. Small ready-made bottles can be added later; the station does not make bottles itself.
A small 250 to 500 litre/hour station can fill about 100 to 200 jugs of 19 litres per day (estimate).
For comparison, the large factory in the study purifies 1,000 litres/hour (8,000 per 8-hour shift), blows 1,100 bottles/hour, fills 24 one-litre bottles per minute (11,520 per shift) and labels 1,000 bottles/hour.
Selling purified water is a food activity and is usually supervised by health authorities and the municipality. Check local municipality, health authority and trade registry requirements before starting, and test the water regularly in an accredited laboratory. In some countries licensing for packaged water is very strict.
Skills needed: operating and maintaining the RO system (filters, membranes, TDS readings), hygiene and jug sterilisation, and managing orders, delivery and payments.
| Equipment | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reverse-osmosis system 250 to 500 L/h with sand, carbon and 5-micron pre-filters | 1 | ≈ $1,200 to $2,500 (estimate) |
| UV steriliser | 1 | ≈ $150 to $400 (estimate) |
| Food-grade water tanks, 1,000 L (raw and purified) | 2 | Stainless steel preferred for purified water; ≈ $300 to $900 (estimate) |
| Pressure and filling pumps | 2 | ≈ $150 to $300 (estimate) |
| Semi-automatic jug washing and filling station | 1 | ≈ $500 to $1,200 (estimate) |
| Capper and cap heat-shrink tool | 1 | ≈ $50 to $150 (estimate) |
| Reusable 19 L jugs | 100-200 | Given to customers against a deposit; ≈ $400 to $900 (estimate) |
| TDS meter and test kit | 1 | ≈ $20 to $50 (estimate) |
Reverse-osmosis system 250 to 500 L/h with sand, carbon and 5-micron pre-filters
Quantity: 1
≈ $1,200 to $2,500 (estimate)
UV steriliser
Quantity: 1
≈ $150 to $400 (estimate)
Food-grade water tanks, 1,000 L (raw and purified)
Quantity: 2
Stainless steel preferred for purified water; ≈ $300 to $900 (estimate)
Pressure and filling pumps
Quantity: 2
≈ $150 to $300 (estimate)
Semi-automatic jug washing and filling station
Quantity: 1
≈ $500 to $1,200 (estimate)
Capper and cap heat-shrink tool
Quantity: 1
≈ $50 to $150 (estimate)
Reusable 19 L jugs
Quantity: 100-200
Given to customers against a deposit; ≈ $400 to $900 (estimate)
TDS meter and test kit
Quantity: 1
≈ $20 to $50 (estimate)
Source: Mains, well or tanker
Cost: ≈ $0.5 to $2 per 1,000 L (estimate)
Must be analysed before choosing the system
Source: Water-treatment equipment dealers
Cost: ≈ $20 to $40 per month (estimate)
Pre-filters every 1 to 3 months
Source: Packaging suppliers and local printers
Cost: ≈ $0.05 to $0.13 per jug (estimate)
Label should show batch and date
Source: Chemical suppliers
Cost: ≈ $10 to $20 per month (estimate)
For jugs, tanks and filling area
İktifa buys the equipment in the owner's name and presence, up to about $2,000. No cash changes hands.
The project starts working before any repayment, with mentoring through the first year.
Instalments follow a schedule agreed with the owner, based on the feasibility study.
Repayments, and 15% of profits to the local fund, equip the next skilled person.
Exact amounts and schedules are agreed for each project after the feasibility study.
Have the source water analysed in a laboratory to choose the right treatment stages.
Pass the water through sand, activated-carbon and 5-micron filters, then the reverse-osmosis unit, and store it in a stainless-steel tank.
Pass purified water through a UV steriliser (or ozone in larger systems) just before filling.
Inspect empty jugs, then wash and rinse them inside with pressurised water and food-safe sanitiser.
Fill the jugs, fit and heat-seal the caps, and mark the production date and batch number; add labels.
Deliver to subscribers and shops on fixed routes and collect empty jugs for the next cycle.
Check TDS daily, run regular laboratory tests and replace filters and membranes on schedule.
Applicable countries
Tap water quality is poor in many areas and small purification stations are in demand.
Strong need for safe drinking water; small stations are common.
Packaged water is in demand; follow health authority requirements.
Large market for packaged water; registration and quality rules must be checked.
Strict licensing for packaged water and strong brands; a distribution model may fit better.
Licensing requirements and competition need checking first.
Refill stations are common, so competition is high.
Use this project model as the basis of your in-kind support application. Adapt it to your local market and capacity.
Syria
Yemen
The Gambia
Nigeria
Türkiye
Morocco
Indonesia