Despite their long ancestral connection to Water and Country through songs and stories, for nearly two decades, the communities of Lullumb and Mudnunn, home to the Bardi Jawi people on the Dampier Peninsula in Western Australia, have lived without access to safe, clean water on Country.
Traditional Owners Bolo and Rosanna Angus have long worked with their communities to keep culture and language alive. They knew access to safe water on Country as an essential component to support their culture and community to thrive.
The Project
In June 2025, Bolo Angus met with the Reece Foundation on Country to share culture and the importance of clean water and sanitation to the Bardi-Jawi People.
The project began and was built on partnership. Traditional Owners Bolo and Rosanna Angus worked closely with the Reece Foundation and industry specialists to ensure the solution was fit for purpose and sustainable. Bolo, a plumber by trade, played a pivotal role in shaping the design, drawing on deep knowledge of community needs and cultural context.
Over two weeks in October 2025, eleven incredible trade volunteers brought the design to life. Working side by side with community members, they installed the water treatment system and sanitation infrastructure. This hands-on collaboration wasn’t just about sharing skills it was about learning. The volunteers had an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of culture, Country, and the profound impact their expertise can have.
The result? Safe drinking water and sanitation for Lullumb and Mudnunn. Beyond the infrastructure, the project strengthened community resilience and showcased what’s possible when the trade industry and local communities work together.
The Technical solution
A submersible pump was installed to draw water from the bore which feed into a chlorine dosing station to remove containments in the water. Through chlorine resistant poly pipe the water was trenched to both communities, approximately two kilometres.
At each community a water filtration system was installed. The filtration system was prefabbed in Melbourne by Triton Pumps and commissioned before transport to site. The custom solution utilised BWT carbon filters and UV disinfection to ensure the water was safe for drinking.
Ablution blocks were installed to provide sanitation with a non-mechanical Advanced Enviro-Septic system was installed to best suit the environment.
The end-to-end solution was supported by a bespoke solar system.
Outcome summary:
- 2 km of trenching and pipework
- Construction of 3 ablution blocks
- 2 AES septic systems
- Installation of 2 filtration systems
- A bespoke solar system powering pumps, filtration, ablution blocks, and some household supply
A better world starts with you.
Every donation helps us and our partners on the ground make real change for the people that need it the most. If you’re a qualified tradie, you can join our list of volunteers to be notified when there's a project that needs your expertise. Have a project idea? Apply for a Reece Foundation Grant to help a community here or overseas.
