Water and sanitation

More than one billion people worldwide can’t get the safe, clean water they need. Lack of access to adequate water supplies means people’s lives are at risk. Drinking, washing, cooking, growing crops and rearing livestock all require water.

The world’s water resources are under increasing pressure due to intensive farming, increasing population, and political tensions. This situation is exacerbated by climate change and environmental degradation. Practical Action continues to show how water resources can be managed even in the face of drought and other extreme weather conditions.

Competing demands for water mean an integrated approach is required if the needs of poor communities are to be met. For projects to work in the long term, local women and men must be involved every step of the way. Ultimately, it’s their skills and resources that are needed to plan, implement and maintain facilities.

Our work on water has always been an integral part of our projects. This means our shelter projects include rooftop water harvesting techniques, and our energy projects include water-lifting and microhydro. Disaster mitigation projects address drought and flood security issues, while transport projects include the movement of water by animal traction and handcarts.

Access to sanitation

Poor disposal of human and household waste encourages vermin and insects to thrive, and water and food become contaminated. Water-related diseases cause the death of 3.4 million people every year, and many children die before the age of five from diseases caused by drinking dirty water and living in unsanitary conditions.

From our project work, we have learned that:

• Participation and creating a sense of ownership could lead to better sustainability, operation and maintenance of infrastructure
• Environmental health interventions often yield benefits that go beyond the immediate health improvements. For example, income and employment can be created with the provision of environmental health infrastructure and services
• While small scale interventions are important, it is equally important to influence the mechanism at the national and global levels. Particularly the decisions to finance and provide environmental health infrastructure and services in large numbers

Whatever the form of the appropriate technology, and whatever the setting, we are supporting people to secure and use sustainably the most precious asset for life - water.