Who We Are

Transforming daily life in tropical village communities

Safe Water Gardens is rooted in diverse expertise, public-private collaboration, and a proven safe sanitation system – growing health, dignity, and livelihoods in tropical villages.

A hand is watering a young plant in a tropical area

Our vision

Empowering rural communities to bring safe sanitation to all Indonesian villages and expand this model to tropical and sub-tropical regions worldwide.

Health

Water, hygiene, and the surrounding environment shape whether people grow up and old in good health.

Dignity

When the home environment works, it changes how people see themselves – and how others see them.

Livelihoods

Once the basics are in place, energy and initiative are freed – especially among women and young people.

Learn more about our approach

The start of a new Safe Water Gardens project

A boy in a septic tank for a Safe Water Garden system during installation

Planting herbs and palm trees on a Safe Water Garden leach field

The backstory

The loss of a child caused our founder to lead a team of researchers on a mission to find a solution – and Safe Water Gardens was born.

2015 – Bintan Island, Indonesia

Resi, the one-year-old daughter of a cook at the LooLa Eco Adventure Resort, died of diarrhea caused by unsafe water and sanitation in her family home. Dr. Marc van Loo, the owner of LooLa, has committed himself to developing a solution that every household in village communities can afford.

Meet Dr. Marc van Loo

Dr. Marc van Loo and his wife, Isabelle Lacoste

Marc and his wife, Isabelle Lacoste, founded LooLa Eco Adventure Resort in Bintan in 2000 using their own savings. The resort, recognized as the top eco-resort in Asia, is staffed entirely by local employees and has established itself as a sustainable tourism project in the region.

Marc also built the coalition behind Safe Water Gardens, bringing together universities, companies, government agencies, and other partners to make safe, affordable sanitation accessible to village communities.

Connect with Marc on

Our team

Experts and practitioners side by side

A diverse team of engineers, researchers, business leaders, and community members contributes skills, knowledge, and active support across disciplines. Together, we make safe, affordable sanitation a reality for communities in tropical villages.