FOCUS ON HAITI

Water
How can we increase the worlds access to clean water?
?
HoW mucH Water
do We use?
Taking a shower .......15 30 gallons
Taking a bath ..........35 50 gallons
Flushing the toilet ........4 7 gallons
Brushing teeth ...................1 gallon
Washing dishes ..........9 20 gallons
Washing clothes ............ 30 gallons
Watering the lawn ........180 gallons
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Water
Is there enough water for everyone?
did You KnoW?
A child dies every 20 seconds from
diseases caused by a lack of safe
water and sanitation.
The average African uses 2-5 gallons
of water per day. The average
American uses 100 gallons per day.
Millions of women and children walk
several hours a day to collect water.
More than half of the diseases
in the world are caused by
unclean water.
2.6 billion people in the world do
not have showers or toilets.
Agriculture accounts for 70 percent
of the worlds water use.
cHecK it out
Read more about the global water crisis: www.circleofblue.org/waternews
Learn more about waterborne diseases: http://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/disease/index.html
Today, almost 900 million people do not
have access to safe drinking waterabout
one in every eight people. The global
consumption of water is doubling every
twenty years, twice the rate of population
growth, and it is estimated that in 2025, at
least 3 billion people will be living in areas
where it will be difcult or even impossible
to meet basic water needs.
How can this happen? There are
increasing demands on the worlds water
supply. Population growth, water-intensive
agriculture and economic development
are using water faster than it can be
replenished. In addition, freshwater
resources are in jeopardy due to increasing
pollution and climate change.
Water is essential to our lives. We need
water to drink, to bathe and to grow food.
For most of us, the supply of water seems
to be endless. We can simply turn on the
faucet any time of the day, any day of
the year. Throughout the world, however,
millions of people must walk for hours each
morning to bring water to their homes.
In developing countries, lack of clean water
is a devastating and often deadly problem.
Many times people are forced to draw
water from a dirty pond or contaminated
river, contributing to poor health and
disease. Drinking unclean water causes
millions of deaths each year from diseases
such as diarrhea, hepatitis, cholera, typhoid
and parasites.
Access to safe water is a basic human
right. It can improve the health, economy
and social well-being of a community. We
must use water wisely and responsibly to
ensure that in the future everyone will have
access to drinking water that is affordable
and safe. What are some things you can do?
Where does our water come from?
Most of the Earths water is undrinkable.
Although 70 percent of the planets
surface is water, almost all of it is saltwater
in the oceans. Only 3 percent of the
worlds freshwater is safe for drinking, and
97 percent of that is frozen in glaciers.
That leaves us with less than 1 percent
usable water from lakes, rivers and
underground sources!
Why cant we use water from the
ocean? Removing salt from water, called
desalination, would greatly help with the
worlds water needs, yet because it is so
expensive and requires a large amount of
energy, most countries cannot afford to do
it. But with water shortages threatening
populations, desalination may become a
necessity in the future.
eacH Year millions of cHildren die
unnecessarilY due to a lacK of clean Water
do you think dams
are an effective way to
conserve water?
Every year on March 14, organizers
of the International Day of Action for
Rivers coordinate events around the
world to protest against the construction
of dams. Why do you think so many
people oppose building dams? People
have been building dams for more
than a thousand years. Dams are used
for water storage and can produce
hydro-electricity and prevent oods.
Yet many people oppose dams because
they often damage nearby agriculture
and shing and can create ooding
during heavy rainfallgreatly altering
fragile ecosystems.
?
Water arOUND tHe WOrLD
How much water do you use each day?
Some countries have abundant, untapped stores of water to support population
growth, while others are already using most of their available water. Water is
also becoming increasingly polluted and although several countries have the
technology and can afford to clean their water, the majority of the world cannot.
In 2000, world leaders at the United Nations Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs) Summit set a target to cut in half the proportion of people without
access to clean water by 2015. In 2002, at the World Summit on Sustainable
Development, access to basic sanitation was included. Recognizing the critical
need to meet the water and sanitation target and its impact on all the other
MDGs, 20052015 was designated as the Water for Life decade.
Water issues around tHe World
cHecK it out
Learn more about Water for Life Decade: http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/
Read more about water use in the United States: http://water.usgs.gov/watuse
At an average
cost of 2 cents
per gallon, tap
water is relatively
inexpensive and
available throughout
the United States.
Despite abundant rainfall in Bangladesh,
the overpopulated country faces a lack
of clean sanitation facilities. This is
causing waste to ow into and pollute
many nearby rivers and streams, creating
serious health problems and deaths.
The crisis in the Darfur region
of Sudan has been called the
rst war over water. Climate
change, land degradation and
desertication are among the
main causes of the conict that
has left 300,000 people dead
and over 2.7 million displaced.
By 3pm in the
afternoon, many
girls in Somalia are
already making their
second trip of the day
to collect water for
their families. Since
only 29 percent of
the population has
access to clean
water, the closest
water source is often
a 23 hour walk each
way. This prevents
many children from
studying or spending
time with friends.
In Haiti water
is a matter of
life and death.
Unclean water
is one of the
primary causes
of illness and
many of those
who get sick
cannot afford
the necessary
medical
treatment.
Source: WHO 2011, UNICEF 2011, and EPA 2011
In 2000, a private
company took over
the water system
in the city of
Cochabamba,
Bolivia. Household
water costs soon
quadrupled, setting
off large protests by
residents. For many
families, this cost
increase meant that
almost half of their
monthly income went
to paying for water.
North America
South America
Africa
Europe Asia
?
Haiti country
information
Location: Caribbean
capitaL: Port-au-Prince
popuLation: 9.8 million
Size: Slightly smaller than Maryland
LanguageS: French and Creole
ReLigionS: Roman Catholic
80 percent, Protestant 16 percent,
other 4 percent; Note: Approximately
50 percent of the population also
practices Voodoo
Life expectancy: 62 years
chiLd MoRtaLity Rate: 87 deaths /
1,000 live births
acceSS to cLean WateR: 63 percent
acceSS to cLean Sanitation:
17 percent
LiteRacy Rate: 53 percent
popuLation Living on LeSS than
$1.25 day: 55 percent
Sources: UNICEF, 2010 & CIA World
Factbook, 2012
Haiti was the rst Caribbean state to
achieve independence and the only nation
in world history born of a successful
slave revolt. Yet decades of poverty,
environmental degradation, violence, and
political instability have left it as the poorest
country in the western hemisphere, with
over half the population living on less than
$1.25 a day.
When Christopher Columbus landed on
the island of Hispaniola in 1492, it was
inhabited by Taino Amerindians. The
Spanish soon settled on the island and
then ceded the west and central sides
to the French in 1697, who called the
HaItI
How does a history of instability affect a countrys development?
cHecK it out
See a PBS special on Haitian Voodoo: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week642/feature.html
Read the latest news on Haiti: http://www.haitiglobe.com
colony St. Domingue. There was a heavy
importation of slaves from western Africa,
and the colony soon became one of the
wealthiest in the Caribbean. In the late 18th
century, Haitis 500,000 slaves revolted and
started a rebellion. Under the leadership
of Toussaint LOuverture, they were able
to overthrow the colonial government and
declare independence in 1804.
Since its independence, however, Haiti
has been plagued by instability and
dictatorships and it is now among the
poorest countries in the world. The lack
of foreign investment contributes to the
declining economic situation of the country.
did You KnoW?
Voodoo is an integral part of Haitian culture, history and identity.
The Taino named the island Ayiti, meaning Mountainous Land.
Haitian Creole is based on French but also contains inuences from Taino and African
languages, as well as Portuguese, Spanish and English.
a troubled Past
HAITI
?
the international Water Poverty index
Haiti ranks at the absolute bottom of the International Water Poverty Index. British researchers
developed the index to examine water access, environmental sustainability and the states
of general living conditions. They used ve different criteria to construct the index: resource,
access, use, capacity, and environment.
How do trees affect the Water supply?
A lack of alternative energy forces many Haitians to cut down trees in order to make charcoal.
This deforestation contributes to water shortages because rainwater pours off the land and into
the ocean, instead of getting trapped in a trees roots and staying in the soil. This leaves many
lakes empty and dries up the soil.
What would you do to prevent this cycle?
Water IN HaItI
What would you do to improve water access in Haiti?
cHecK it out
See the International Water Poverty Index: http://earthtrends.wri.org/text/water-resources/variable-1299.html
Learn more about the benets of trees: http://www.arborday.org
WHat is being done since tHe
2010 eartHquaKe?
Organizations like Concern Worldwide are working throughout Haiti to help to bring
clean and safe drinking water to local residents. This life-saving work has become
even more critical since January 2010, when a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck
Port-au-Prince and left 1.5 million people displaced from their homes. Concern launched
an immediate, large-scale emergency response within 48 hours of the disaster. Since
then, Concern has been providing access to clean water and sanitation to over 75,000
people living in camps. For the future, Concern is working with local communities to
ensure sustainable access to clean water and sanitation in order to help Haiti recover
and rebuild for the long term.
citoyas story
Citoya is seven years old and
lives in Saut dEau, a rural village
in Haiti. Every afternoon she
spends an hour walking with her
sister to the closest spring. There,
the girls fill up buckets of water
to carry back home. The water is
enough to last the rest of the day,
but it must be boiled or treated
before anyone can drink it. A few
times a week, the family goes
to the spring together to bathe
and wash clothes or other items.
Citoyas day is very busygoing to
school, getting water, and helping
in the family garden. But she is
one of the lucky ones; many of
the children in her village cannot
afford the $10 a year that the local
school costs.
Access to safe drinking water
is a constant problem for more
than half of the people living in
Haiti. Daily water collection can
take up to five hours and is the
primary chore of women and
children. Activities like washing
clothes and bathing are also
time consuming and costly. Many
people living in rural areas get
their water from fresh springs, but
these are often contaminated by
animal use.
can you imagine walking
for hours simply to get a
glass of drinking water?
?
Many possibilities and options exist to try
to ensure that everyone can access safe
water. The following are some of the things
that we could do to enhance the worlds
access to clean water.
Which do you think are the best ways
to increase the worlds access to clean
water? Why?
drip irrigation
Drip irrigation can be extremely helpful in
areas where water is scarce or expensive.
It uses water more efciently than
conventional irrigation methods by releasing
the water slowly to a specic area at the
plants roots. Instead of wasting water
because it cannot all be absorbed into the
ground, the water placed by drip irrigation
systems has time to be absorbed where
plants most need it. However, it would
be very costly to convert all the current
irrigation systems to this new method.
Water conservation
In many areas water is being pumped
out of the ground faster than it can be
replenished. Enhanced water conservation
will allow water supplies to be used more
effectively. By educating people to retrot
their faucets and showerheads, displace
water in their toilet tank, and x water
leaks, millions of gallons of water could
be saved every day.
HOW CaN We INCreaSe tHe WOrLDS
aCCeSS tO CLeaN Water?
Possibilities and oPtions Poorly managed water resources
are also a source of conflictover
scarce access in water distressed
regionsand environmental
degradation. So addressing
water needs can have a huge
development payoff that reaches
beyond health. From protecting
watershed ecosystems to water
supply management, investing
in water and sanitation has a
payoff that goes beyond just the
infrastructure. Easily accessible
clean water means that women
and girls do not have to walk
miles each day to lug heavy
buckets of usually dirty water
for use at home. Instead they
can go to school or engage in
productive activities. And as
communities learn to manage
their water resources, access can
often promote critical economic
activities, from gardening to food
production to industry.
Mark Malloch Brown,
Former Deputy Secretary-General
of the United Nations
We will not be able to solve
water problems unless we
think in a new wayunless
we move away from the belief
that the answer is one more
massive concrete dam blocking
our rivers to the idea that we
must meet basic human and
environmental needs for water;
let all affected stakeholders
play a role in making decisions;
refocus on what we do with the
water and how efficiently we do
it and use appropriate economic
approaches to pay for water
and for the costs to us and the
environment of using that water.
Peter H. Gleick,
President of the Pacific Institute
Water treaties
Conict over water resources is an
ever-growing problem. Our dwindling
water resources and growing demand for
water create the potential for large-scale
competition and conict between nations over
shared water supplies. Past water treaties
have been created in order to avert conict
and divide limited resources in reasonable
ways. These treaties provide a structure
for nations to address their differences in
managing and monitoring shared resources.
Water recycling
Water recycling is the process of reusing
treated wastewater for valuable, non-
drinking purposes such as watering lawns
or golf courses, industrial processes, and
toilet ushing. By recycling our water, we
could save a great deal of energy that is
normally used on water treatment, and
lower the cost of water bills.
rainwater harvesting
Rainwater harvesting means catching
and using rainwater where it falls. People
can build cisterns or wells in order to help
capture the rainwater. Often, this system
saves much time and energy but can only
be used in areas with abundant rainfall. It is
very important, however, that the water does
not become contaminated in the holding
areas and that it is sanitized before drinking.
Water is
fundamental for
life and health.
the human
right to water is
indispensable for
leading a healthy
life in human
dignity. it is a
pre-requisite to
the realization
of all other
human rights.
UNESCO
?
Speak OUt! WHat are yOUr tHOUgHtS
ON SOLvINg tHe Water CrISIS?
In some countries, those
responsible for managing and
allocating water are vulnerable
to conscious or unconscious
bias towards the rich and
powerful. Political patronage and
corruption frequently override
considerations of efficiency or
equity. In the increasingly tense
competition over the use of water
resources, the poor have the least
influence.
Department of International
Development (DFID)
Individuals should never
underestimate their own
influence and the role they
can play in changing things for
the better. I think they should
speak up in their communities
and say: Stop polluting our
rivers. Stop wasting water. I
cannot take this anymore. And
begin to talk to their neighbors
and friends, and begin to
organize and let the policy
makers and the local, district, or
national governments know that
they are concerned.
Kofi Annan,
Former Secretary-General
of the United Nations
We need a global approach
to this from all sides. We need
to educate people, we need
the scientists to create new
technologies, we need the
engineers to create the networks,
we need every human being
to be aware of how precious
water is and save it. Do not
waste it. Everybody has to be
involved in a very firm and
assertive way.
Isabel Allende,
writer and environmentalist
Private ownership
Private companies now control the
water supplies in some areas. Often,
this creates a more efcient system
and allows more people access to
available water. Yet, while water
companies are able to update water
systems, making them more efcient
and more accountable to consumers,
they can also make water very costly
to the poor. In addition, many people
believe that water is a public resource,
and should not be owned by individuals
or corporations.
Water Purification
Often, the water located the closest
distance from peoples homes is not
safe for drinking, such as water found in
rivers and lakes. Therefore, by purifying
these water sources, more people will
have access to clean water. Sand and
clay lters can be an effective, affordable,
and simple alternative to using chemicals
or boiling water.
desalination
Desalination is the process of removing
sodium chloride (salt) from water. Since
most of the earths water is saltwater in
the oceans, desalination could create
a much greater amount of available
freshwater to the worlds population.
However, because it is so costly and
energy-intensive, large amounts of
money would need to be invested in
this process.
Water Well
Wells can be constructed by digging
or drilling into the earth to extract
groundwater. Groundwater is naturally
stored 20600 feet below the earths
surface (but can be over 3,000 feet deep
in some areas). Although constructing
wells can be very inexpensive, many
communities do not have access to the
drills, fuel, electricity, or solar power
needed to reach water buried deep
below the surface.
CHeCk It OUt !
Watch our student-narrated
Water in Haiti video:
http://www.concernusa.org/
gcc/medialibrary/
Water
National Geographic
ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0209/
feature1/
UNESCO World Water Development
Report
www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-
sciences/environment/water/wwap/
wwdr/
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
www.epa.gov/ebtpages/water.html
Water.org
http://water.org/
WHO
www.who.int/topics/water/en/
World Bank
http://youthink.worldbank.org/issues/
environment
organizations
The Global Water Partnership
www.gwpforum.org
The World Water Council
www.worldwatercouncil.org
references and resources
United Nations Joint Monitoring Program
for Water Supply & Sanitation
www.wssinfo.org
Water Supply & Sanitation Collaborative
Council
www.wsscc.org
Haiti
Amnesty International
www.amnesty.org/en/region/haiti
Ayiti: The Cost of Life Game
http://ayiti.globalkids.org/game/
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/
country_proles/1202772.stm
Human Rights Watch
www.hrw.org/americas/haiti
UNICEF
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/haiti.
html
camPaigns
End Water Poverty
www.endwaterpoverty.org/
Millennium Campaign
www.endpoverty2015.org/goals/
environmental-sustainability
World Water Day
www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/
Global Handwashing Day
www.globalhandwashingday.org/
concern WorldWide us, inc
www.concernusa.org
355 Lexington Avenue
19th Floor
New York, NY 10017
212-557-8000
332 South Michigan Avenue
Suite 630
Chicago, IL 60604
312-431-8400
This publication is intended to inform readers about the issue of water and does not necessarily
reect the views of Concern Worldwide U.S. Inc. or Concern Worldwide on this issue.
Concern Worldwide does not ofcially recommend or endorse any of these organizations.
Concern Worldwide U.S. Inc. is a New York not-for-prot corporation exempt from Federal
income taxation under section 501(c) (3). Concern Worldwide U.S. Inc. supports projects
carried out in the eld by Concern Worldwide, registered in Ireland.
This publication was written and produced in 2004, updated in 2008 and 2012.
Photos: Haiti, Concern Worldwide.
@concernGCC
Global Concerns Classroom