The tie between healthy communities and clean water is undeniable. Having access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation services will reduce illness and death due to waterborne pathogens. Diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and hepatitis are all found in contaminated drinking water. In addition to the health aspects there is also a social concern regarding access to water. In some places, people can spend up to four hours a day collecting water, and it is traditionally done by women and girls. This time consuming task can prevent getting to school, taking care of a family, or working another job. There are many organizations working to provide clean water nearby for many communities. Today we highlight just a few.
Water for People – stemming from the American Water Works Association, Water for People’s mission is to “promote the high-quality drinking water and sanitation services, accessible to all, and sustained by strong communities, businesses, and governments.” They put together teams and projects in Central and South America, India, and Central Africa. They build water and sanitation projects in cooperation with the communities to help promote the investment for the long term. Generating buy-in from the local communities helps to keep the project running after the initial investment period has passed. For more information about Water for People click here.
Water Step – Water Step highlights the connection between health, education, and work. It shows how clean water will provide the opportunities for children to be well enough to attend school and that women do not have to carry water long distances so they can focus on other work and caring for their families. They are currently working on projects in Ecuador, Uganda, Nigeria, and Brazil. Their projects range from providing treatment equipment and tools to building latrines at a school. One of the unique aspects of this organization is the training component. They focus on providing proper training for those in the local community to spread the clean water message, but also to be able to repair or address an issue once they are maintaining their water system. For more information, click here.
Water.org – One of the largest water non-profit organizations, Water.org has many aspects and programs dedicated to creating access to clean water and proper sanitation services. Their WaterCredit program uses small loans to help those in need invest in household resources like plumbing and toilets. They have a strong Global Advocacy program where they work to bring leaders from around the world together with water experts to work together to bring transformation to communities. New Ventures Fund is their research and development program to find new ways to bring in necessary water and sanitation projects to communities in need. Currently, there are Water.org projects in Central Africa, Asia, and Latin America. For more information, click here.
Charity: Water – By working with local communities, Charity Water identifies the best sustainable solution to provide water locally. Their projects have included a well-piped system, sand filters, and rainwater harvesting. In addition to the infrastructure investment, they also provide sanitation and health training. They are currently working in 24 countries in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America typically focusing on providing rural communities with access to clean water for the first time. They have an extensive blog showing all the projects and work they are doing around the world. For more information, click here.
Safe drinking water and proper sanitation services are the bedrock of Marana Water. We work hard each day to ensure that our water and sewer systems are functioning properly and safely. These charities are just a few that are working around the world to establish those same foundations for everyone.
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