Clean, accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in. There is sufficient fresh water on the planet to achieve this. But due to bad economics or poor infrastructure, every year millions of people, most of them children, die from diseases associated with inadequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene.
Some of the key issues
- Make sure everyone has access to safe and affordable drinking water
- Make sure everyone has access to clean toilet facilities and sewage disposal
- Help to improve water quality by reducing the amount of untreated wastewater
- Help to protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes
- Help to develop new ways of accessing clean water like water harvesting and desalination
Work Areas and Projects
The work and project areas below are examples of the kinds of things people are working on right now. Do any of these interest you?
- Work as a water engineer: Repairing, maintaining and building structures that control water resources like sea defence walls, pumping stations and reservoirs
- Work as a water scientist: Be involved in researching and assessing the quality and safety of water supplies
- Help to educate poor and rural communities about hygiene, sanitation and water conservation
- Manage large or small-scale projects building new infrastructure to create or improve existing water supplies
- Work to preserve and protect the natural environment as new water supplies are developed
- Work for an NGO or a charity that has a vision to see universal access to clean water
- Work as an activist to spread awareness of the problem of poor water supply and sanitation
- Work within the government to identify and respond to problems of water shortage and poor sanitation. Help to write national policies.
Who’s Involved?
The Water Hub
http://www.thewaterhub.org.za/
The Franschhoek Water Hub is an exciting new project that will inspire a new generation of leaders in water management in the context of rapid urbanisation and limited financial resources.
While there are other similar projects around the globe, it will be the first of its kind to demonstrate state-of-the-art techniques and technologies suitable for the African context. Billed to be a centre of knowledge and learning, the Franschhoek Water Hub will connect multiple elements of the urban and regional water cycle and will explore new options for the treatment of contaminated water, including the use of natural systems and bioprocesses.
Water Org
http://water.org/solutions/watercredit/
http://water.org/solutions/digging/
http://water.org/solutions/waterequity/
We are a think tank with arms and legs. We are engineers and entrepreneurs, technologists and creatives and economists, looking for permanent ways to disrupt poverty and build prosperity into emerging markets.
The Water Project
https://thewaterproject.org/community/directory/Kenya/
The Water Project’s WaSH Program in Southeastern Kenya is focused in Makueni, Machakos and Kitui Counties.
Approximately 60% of people across these counties lack access to safe and reliable water.
This program works with farming communities and schools impacted by regional drought and climate change to implement sand dams, dug wells with hand pumps, rainwater catchment projects and hand-washing stations. Ongoing work with farmers includes climate-smart agricultural training, seed and tree distribution.
This work results in regional water and food security in areas that were once stunted by drought.
- Hygiene and Sanitation Training targets overall health, teaching the community about the importance of hand-washing and latrine use.
- Ongoing mobile monitoring breaks the cycle of broken water systems and helps gauge the impact of every project. Thanks to our monthly donors, we are able to monitor and repair water projects to ensure water continues to flow.
More info on its way! Hang in there 🙂