Water Charity has embarked on a project to immediately establish a system to disseminate safe water to rural communities impacted by the earthquake in Haiti. We are undertaking this in partnership with Deep Springs International (DSI), an NGO that has been working for three years to provide for potable water in rural areas of Haiti.
The immediate response has been to scale up production of chlorine and provide chlorine and buckets to families in the areas surrounding Port-au-Prince, the city most affected by the devastation.
In the longer term, it is anticipated that rural areas will experience an influx of refugees from the destruction of Port-au-Prince and overwhelm current rural water supplies. Increasing the capacity for household water treatment in rural Haiti will provide clean drinking water to the refugee population and the existing population.
In a crisis situation, simple solutions which are easy to implement at once are called for. Teams on the ground will provide safe storage systems (a bucket with tap and lid), chlorine supply, and training to affected, rural families and communities.
The chlorine solution that is used is that recommended by the Center for Disease Control. The simple water treatment system allows families to obtain water from any source, add one capful of chlorine solution to 5 gallons of water, wait 30 minutes, and then drink safe water. Experience shows that even the poorest families can treat their own water regularly with this system.
Sources for chlorine generators, buckets, taps, and chlorine tablets and granules have been established. Emergency response personnel will visit affected rural communities, identify community health workers who can assist with the distribution, and train technicians to implement and teach the processes and ensure compliance.
Your donation is urgently requested to assist us in this endeavor. Please click on the Donate button below. 100% of your contribution will immediately go directly toward work on the ground in this emergency relief effort.
Flash: Every dollar you donate will be matched by The Soneva SLOW LIFE Trust!
This project has been completed.