The War of the Pacific between Bolivia and Peru in the late 19^th century led to major geopolitical, diplomatic, and economic restructuring that still negatively affects the region today.

In the early 1880s, Chile annexed the Peruvian province of Tarapacá and the Bolivian province of Litoral, both substantially mineral-rich territories. Bolivia was stripped of coastal access to the Pacific Ocean and became a landlocked country.

Since the 1884 Treaty of Peace and Friendship with Chile, Bolivian politicians including President Evo Morales, have consistently sought to reclaim access to the Pacific coastline in order to promote economic development and increase Bolivia’s international trade.

Recently, recovering maritime rights in Bolivia has made some headway. Last October, Peru granted La Paz, the capital city of Bolivia, access to a three-mile long strip of land, south of Peru’s Port of Ilo and 100 miles north of Tacna, a Peruvian city close to the northern Chilean border.

The agreement, called the Boliviamar secures a 99-year lease of the Port of Ilo and for a free-trade zone, which includes exemptions in the areas of customs duties, taxes, and labor law for Bolivia.

Bolivian President Evo Morales insisted this pact was an opportunity to open the intercontinental door to Bolivians. “The sea is for world trade, the sea is so that the products of our peoples can circulate and have access to these ports.”

The Boliviamar also requires construction of 245 miles of highway to connect Bolivia with the port facilities in southern Peru. According to Viviana Caro, the Bolivian Minister for Planning and Development, this will reduce goods transport from Bolivia into important Asian markets by some 40 per cent.

The Bolivian government also intends to invest $400 million in the development of the Port of Ilo to facilitate the import and export of goods, and to promote tourism.

Bolivia’s free access to its own international port is more than a mere diplomatic break-through. It represents a unique opportunity to boost Bolivia’s economy in several ways. Increased exports in Bolivian goods will generate more revenue for the country and strengthen its competitiveness on the global market.

Sustaining Bolivia’s economic development at a local and international level requires the cultivation of the country’s natural resources, including oil, gas, and other minerals. Trading these goods with neighboring countries and other entities will revolutionize marine trade in the region.

Providing marine access to Bolivia and developing its marine trade will promote economic growth and decrease rates of poverty by providing new employment opportunities for local residents. Marine trade will ultimately generate income for local artisans, farmers, and other small business owners who depend on mercantile trade for survival.

President Evo Morales stated, “Ninety-nine years, that gives us confidence to make significant investments in the Port of Ilo,” as the country seeks to encourage private companies to financially support that effort.”

By reducing duty payments to Chile, increasing exports, developing the tourism industry, and creating new jobs for Bolivians, coastal access will dramatically improve the lives of Bolivians and the economy of Bolivia.

Submitted by Guest Writer: Alice Jobard

The photo above is a picture of the Port of Ilo in Peru, taken by Bruno Moretti

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Lack of infrastructural development and a water quality monitoring system pose a security threat to the region. Outbreaks of water-borne disease in rural areas could potentially devastate the two countries.

The Environment Security Initiative (ENVSEC), in partnership with the NATO Science for Peace and Security Program (SPS), has implemented a project to establish a water quality management system for both countries.

In an interview with WaterWideWeb, Dilorom Fayzieva, a partner with ENVSEC and SPS, discussed the purpose and progress of the microbiological monitoring project in Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic. Please read the complete interview below.

EAB: How was quality of drinking water in the Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan identified as a security issue that ENVSEC Initiative in partnership with NATO Science for Peace and Security Program could address?

DF: Microbiological quality of water is an important issue for the entire Central Asian Region, including Uzbekistan and Kyrgyz Republic. There are high risks of the spread of water-borne infections such as typhoid fever, bacterial dysentery and other types of diarrheal diseases in rural areas. These risks exist because access to the piped centralized drinking water sources in rural areas is approximately 50 to 60 percent on average for the whole region. Prevention of water-borne infection outbreaks amongst the population is attributed to the security issue. It is impossible to prevent any outbreaks of water-borne diseases without the creation of an adequate monitoring system, including organization of routine analysis of bacteriological parameters of water indicating water quality from the microbiological perspective.

EAB: What were some of the contaminants in the water supply prior to the project and what effects did they have on the local community?

DF: An increasing number of coli-form bacteria and fecal streptococci in different water sources used by the population create high risks of water-borne diseases in the local communities. These facts were revealed by the recent studies carried out in the Central Asian region by the various researchers like Semenza in Karakalpakstan in 1998 (USA), Herbst in Khorezm in 2002-2004 (Germany), D. Fayzieva and I.Usmanov in the western regions of Uzbekistan in the period of 2000-2010, and others. The high concerns of water-borne diseases are reflected in the regular national reports of the Ministries of Health Care of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Kyrgyz Republic. Improving the monitoring system on microbiological quality of water and ensuring that it was on par with international standards were identified as one of the key priorities of the Environmental Health Action Plans of those countries.

EAB: Are you working with any government or other entity to negotiate technology transfer and capacity building between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyz Republic?

DF: We are collaborating in order of negotiation, of technology transfer, and capacity building for improving of the quality of water analysis on bacteriological indicators between France, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyz Republic. Main partners in this issue are the Institute of Water Problems of Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences and the Scientific Production Center of Preventive Medicine of the Health Ministry of the Kyrgyz Republic. End users of this project are the Republican Center for Sanitary-Epidemiological Surveillance of the Health Ministry of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Bishkek City Center for Sanitary-Epidemiological Surveillance of the Health Ministry of the Kyrgyz Republic. Water bacteriology laboratories of these organizations are equipped by modern type of basic equipment and first stage of the trainings took place at IPL, France within this project.

EAB: Please describe how drinking standards were brought up to international standards?

DF: The main purpose of the project is to improve of quality of water analysis through an international quality assurance system and to establish the same system in the national laboratories of those countries. For achieving of this purpose we are planning to create advanced reference laboratories on water bacteriology by equipping them and training of their personnel.

EAB: If you project did not take place, what would the negative outcome on the Uzbekistan and Kyrgyz Republic would there be?

DF: In the absence of quality assurance system, it is impossible to get accurate and reliable data on prevention of outbreaks cannot occur. Finally, it creates high risk of these infections among population and worsening of sanitary-epidemiological conditions by increasing the mortality rates from water-borne diseases.

EAB: Please discuss the short and long term positive outcome of your project.

DF: A short-term outcome is the creation of the reference laboratories on water bacteriology by equipping them and training national personnel on the international water quality standards. Long term outcomes include sharing the project experience throughout other countries of Central Asian region.

EAB: Thank you for interviewing with WaterWideWeb.

DF: You’re welcome.

In a country like Uzbekistan, where a majority of revenue is generated by agricultural production, ensuring a safe water supply serves to secure the economic system as well. Decreasing rates of poverty and decreasing rates of mortality from water-borne diseases allow these countries to develop beyond a stunted period of economic growth and development.

Threats of the spread of water-borne disease and high mortality rates from them are often associated with countries in Africa and Southeast Asia. In fact, similar problems exist in Central Asia. The struggle to update the international standards on water supply is an endeavor that the entire world faces.

Countries in Central Asia and Eastern Europe struggle from the adverse affects of poor water quality because historically, these countries did not have in place the technology and capacity to develop and manage water quality. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 left a region of independent countries that, while not subject to land borders with neighboring lands, still had to manage issues of ensuring peace and security in the region, beginning with the provision of clean drinking water. sharing this themes.

The photo above is a picture of water in Kyrgyzstan

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Kristin Stroup, energy specialist in the Africa Energy Department of the World Bank, told WaterWideWeb, “The 35 kilowatt micro-hydropower plant in Yandohun was built in the 1970’s. During its few years of operation, it contributed significantly to the local community, and facilitated operation of a 24-hour health-care facility there that served many surrounding communities.”

Yandohun is a village of 2,000 people in the remote area of Lofa County in northwestern Liberia. The micro-hydropower plant that generated power for the community was in part constructed and operated by local residents. The micro-hydropower plant was the sole source of reliable energy for the community since Yandohun is outside of the electrical grid of the capital city of Monrovia.

With financing from the Dutch Trustfund under its AFREA program,  the World Bank is launching a rehabilitation project for Yandohun’s micro-hydropower plant. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2012.

“Rehabilitation of the plant at 60 kilowatts will allow for meeting basic needs and will also allow for improved educational facilities, including adult education which is extremely important in the post-conflict setting,” continued Stroup.

In Yandohun, the capacity to manage an improved micro-hydropower facility already exists since community members who operated the first hydropower plant still live there. Thus, the World Bank is investing in the community’s existing skill sets while implementing a low-cost renewable energy approach. “The community has a very strong organizational structure and cooperative approach, including rebuilding the town hall with pooled funds and labor,” noted Stroup.

Agricultural production is significant to the local economy of Yanhodun. Rice farming, milling, cultivation of coffee and cocoa are all part of the agricultural output of the area. Mechanized processes powered by the future micro-hydropower facility have the potential to increase revenues generated by the sale of agricultural products by local farmers.

World Bank funding for the energy plant includes hands-on training for additional local community members who will learn to manage and operate the facility. Engaging local residents in the development process and use of local natural resources empowers the community.  Dependability on foreign assistance for medium and long-term progress is diminished, which is especially crucial to post-conflict settings as well.

“The micro-hydropower plant rehabilitation project at Yandohun is part of the World Bank’s commitment to the expansion of energy access in rural areas and an emphasis on renewable, sustainable technologies as part of a least-cost expansion plan,” Stroup added.  

The pilot operation in Yandohun offers a prime example of how an investment in a renewable energy source can truly revitalize a community that was once destroyed by war. Before encounters with rebel troops, Yandohun had operational educational facilities, a health facility, and a thriving fish farm.

Decreasing rates of poverty, improving access to healthcare, and promoting childhood and adult education is implicated in the successful rehabilitation of Yandohun’s hydropower facility. Solutions to Liberia’s systemic post-conflict issues should be cost-effective and environmentally sustainable.

Technology transfer and capacity building in rural communities that are not in close proximity to the capital city of Monrovia are crucial to including all levels of Liberia’s population in the energy plan. “Using hydropower for the benefit of communities should facilitate the sustainable development of a key piece of Liberia’s rural electrification agenda,” concluded Stroup.

The photo above is of school children in Liberia. It is a UN Photo taken by John Issac.

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Water instability is compounded by energy concerns concomitantly in Gujarat. Public policy in Gujarat does not require farmers to pay additional expenses for pumping deeper groundwater which  is delivered to farmers at a fixed price. Co-dependently, water and energy in Gujarat are being consumed at unsustainable rates.

In an exclusive interview with Dan Stellar, Assistant Director of Columbia Water Center (CWC), he informed WaterWideWeb that the CWC project in Gujarat will enlist local farmers in water and energy use efficiency by providing monetary incentives for conservation efforts.

CWC has partnered with local organizations such as the Taleem Research Foundation, Uttar Gujarat Vij Company Limited (UGVCL), the Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University (SDAU), and the Government of Gujarat to stabilize water access and energy efficiency management in Gujarat, initiatives closely linked to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The results of CWC’s study are still confidential pending public release. Nonetheless, Stellar provided preliminary analysis and implications of the Gujarat project to WaterWideWeb.

EAB: How did CWS identify water and energy as an interrelated issue in Gujarat, India?

DS: We have been aware of the severe groundwater depletion problem in Gujarat for a long time. Generally, the electricity supply problem in that region is well known. It is due to the massive amounts of energy needed to pump groundwater. The electric supply is irregular and unreliable.

The state has made efforts to address this problem, most notably through a program called Jyotigram. Jyotigram targeted farmers’ use of electricity.

In light of these facts, CWC conducted an extensive study in the area. The study yielded a great deal of information about the water and energy issues in the region.  We have presented several phases of this study to the Government of Gujarat.  At the moment, the details of the study are still confidential, but we will be issuing a paper soon.  However, the main points from the study show that:

• · Water tables in the study area have been falling steadily over the last 15-20 years. They have reached about 600ft below ground level, risking irreversible salinization of aquifers.
• · Farmers are adversely affected by the falling water tables. They need to drill deeper wells and buy more powerful pumps continuously.
• · Energy use has most likely increased over the last two decades without a matching increase in irrigated area.
• · The depths where groundwater is currently extracted, tubewell irrigated agriculture, as practiced today, is probably not financially viable.

EAB: What are some of the short and long term goals of the project?

DS: The overall goal of the project is to reverse the problem of groundwater depletion in this area.  We hope to stabilize groundwater levels above the point at which large scale saltwater intrusion will occur.  It is important to note that this project exemplifies a win-win system that encourages farmers to conserve resources rather than taxing them for additional water usage.

EAB: How can this project exemplify a sustainable solution to the water and energy crisis?

DS: The project will demonstrate a policy level solution to the water and energy crisis.  While this particular solution is somewhat unique to the Indian context, it will show how policies can be structured to create economic incentives for conserving water and energy.

Currently, farmers in the area pay an extremely low fixed rate for electricity.  They use electricity to pump water for crop irrigation. There is no incentive to conserve water or energy since farmers pay the same fixed cost regardless of how much electricity they use.

We propose the institution of an alternate system, one where farmers are given an allowance of units of energy. If they use less energy than their allowance provides, they will be compensated for the amount saved.  This system costs the state nothing since it was providing electricity essentially free from the outset.

The project is economically sustainable. It does not have any net cost to any party.  The project was designed in close consultation with farmers and government officials to accommodate the local area.

Participation is completely voluntary. Farmers can opt to participate or not. If they prefer to continue with their usual pumping practices, they can do so without facing a penalty.

EAB: Are you sharing best practices on water and hydropower projects with any other organizations?

DS: We intend to share best practices, once the results of the project are analyzed. This will be accomplished through outreach on our website and blog, submission of academic papers, participation in conferences and other media appearances.

EAB: Thank you for interviewing with WaterWideWeb

DS: You’re welcome.

Projects like the CWC’s offer an innovative multifaceted approach to two of the most complex issues of the 21^st century— reliable water supply and energy resources. Developing infrastructure and providing farmers with reliable water resources will support the achievement of MDGs in Gujarat.

Overcoming the complex environmental water and energy nexus in Gujarat requires the active involvement of local residents, enforceable public policy and willing participation of public and private sector entities. In the case of CWC’s Gujarat project, both water and energy are forces to be reconciled.

Please watch the video of CWC’s work in Gujarat India here

The photo above was provided by Columbia Water Center.

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WB is investing in water use efficiency methods and rehabilitating the irrigation and drainage infrastructure in Uzbekistan’s Ferghana Valley in order to promote economic development in the country.

The economy of Uzbekistan is largely dependent upon the agriculture industry. Twenty-two percent of the Gross Domestic Product is produced by agriculture. Seventy percent of foreign trade is fueled by the agricultural industry and 90 percent of the country’s demand for agriculture is satisfied by domestic production.

IJsbrand de Jong Is the Sr Water Resources Specialist in the Agriculture and Rural Development Unit of the Europe and Central Asia Region at World Bank. In an interview, de Jong told WaterWideWeb, “Close to 90 percent of Uzbekistan’s agriculture is irrigated, and 25 percent of Uzbekistan’s irrigated area is located in the Ferghana Valley.”

Isbrand de Jong expanded on the details of World Bank’s Valley Water Resources Management Phase-I Project. Please read the extended interview below.

EAB: What are some of the short and long-term goals of the project?

IJ: The long-term objective of the project it to support key Uzbekistan priorities in the areas of poverty reduction and improvement of living standards of the population, environment, and provision of I&D (“Irrigation and Drainage”) services. The short term objective of the project is to improve agricultural production in areas affected by water-logging, and to reduce damage to housing and infrastructure from rising ground water levels and salinity in the project districts.

EAB: Will farmers be advised on best practices in water use efficiency?

IJ: The project will improve water use efficiency in a number of ways. In the first place, the project will invest in the physical improvements in the irrigation and drainage infrastructure to reduce water wastage. Secondly, the project will disseminate modern agricultural and water management practices to members of Water Users Associations and small dehkhan farmers through provision of training and establishment and operation of field demonstration plots, including pilot drip irrigation, on-farm water management, and integrated pest management. Thirdly, the project will strengthen capacities of regional and local staff of public water management institutions.

EAB: Will this project bring Uzbekistan closer to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)?

IJ: The project directly addresses MDG 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger. The project will do so by addressing constraints to improving agricultural production, As a result of this and other investments, incomes are expected to increase and poverty and hunger are expected to decline. Other MDGs will benefit indirectly, including improving health and environmental sustainability.

EAB: Please explain lessons learned thus far in the project.

IJ: The project was approved in September 2009 and became effective in March 2010. While the project has not yet been able to learn lessons from its own experience, important lessons learned from the implementation of similar projects in the Central Asia region have been reflected into the design of the project. These include a strong involvement from stakeholder in the design and implementation of investments, and the need to combine investments in infrastructure with capacity strengthening and institutional reforms.

EAB: What are some markers of progress thus far? Has the project developed in any new directions?

IJ: The project is currently in the process of launching a large irrigation and drainage rehabilitation contract through international bidding. It is expected that the works will start in early 2011. Other activities are expected to be launched soon. In view of its recent approval, it is too early to demonstrate impact.

EAB: Thank you for interviewing with WaterWideWeb.

IJ: You’re welcome.

The Ferghana Valley Project funded by World Bank is one piece in the intricate puzzle of achieving the MDGs in Central Asia. Improving irrigated farming methods and rehabilitating infrastructure is essential to maintaining the income generated by Uzbekistan from its agricultural industry. Implementing proven methods in water conservation and building water infrastructure will in turn yield a better crop turn out for local and regional farmers. Ensuring Uzbekistan’s economic development and stimulating growth will occur when proper measures are taken to advance agricultural water use practices at the local and regional level.

In Cote D’Ivoire and Uganda, the risk for water-borne diseases like typhoid, bacterial diaherrea and Hepatitis A is very high. The school life expectancy for Ivoirians is a total of six years and for Ugandans is 10 years. With access to clean, safe and reliable water, these Ivoirians could return to school and live past the life expectancy of 56 years-old. With clean water, Ugandans could outlive the life expectancy of 52 years-old.

Charity: water (C:W) is a non-profit organization that brings clean water to communities in Africa and other parts of the world. In 2009, C:W completed 1,058 water projects with 150 water points rehabilitated in 11 countries. Last year, C:W rehabilitated wells in Cote D’Ivoire, Liberia, Uganda, Honduras, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Central African Republic and Ethiopia. According to the 2009 progress report, water resources were restored to 63, 143 people.

In an interview , the Water Projects Manager Jonna Davis told WaterWideWeb, “If there is an opportunity to rehabilitate an existing non-functional water point in an area with great need, then we think that’s a worthwhile investment…”

Charity: water works with partners in local regions who report non-functional wells that can be rehabilitated. These local partnerships ensure that the community where the water well was dug is served after the initial relief effort was launched.

“An old broken water point can often be a sign of failure for a community and bringing it back to an improved service is much more practical than building a new project right next to it” confirmed Davis.

Clean water affects communities such as Cote D’Ivoire and Uganda on an immediate and long-term basis. Water wells need repair every few years. Hence, digging a well is the first step to managing the issues of public health, safety, and social development that hinder progress in these countries.

When a community has a reliable water source, markers of development are noticed in the daily life of residents. Children can attend school and women can spend time on duties unrelated to fetching water. Scarce water resources means that choices between a clean school uniform, a watered garden, or cooking a meal must be made for the short supply of water that a family survives on daily.

Functional wells in local villages ensure the safety of women in vulnerable areas of the globe. If a well breaks and water is unavailable, women and girls are forced to walk long distances to fetch water for their families. They leave home before the sun rises and are at risk for rape and physical assault on the long roads to a water source outside of their village.

On the outskirts of these villages, roads are not patrolled by security forces. Young women and girls face grave danger for the sake of finding clean water. The trek to fetch clean water can take hours, which may have been spent getting an education or working for their family. The livelihood and wellbeing of women in developing nations is largely affected by access to water. If water wells break in their community, they suffer immensely.

“Our primary concern is providing clean and safe water access where it is most needed.  If there is an opportunity to rehabilitate an existing nonfunctional water point in an area with great need, then we think that’s a worthwhile investment since rehabilitation generally costs less than constructing a brand new point of access” Davis continued.

The safety of women and girls who live in internment camps as internally displaced peoples or refugees, as is the case in Cote D’Ivoire, is affected by their ability to find water. Water is a non-violent solution to protecting the vulnerable members of these dangerous and war-torn communities.

Charity: Water is enhancing their water well rehabilitation practices to keep water flowing in communities of greatest need. Mobile programs where trained technical provisions can travel to different villages and service broken wells are in the works.

For women and girls in conflict countries with high rates of water borne diseases, water is part of their survival in an undeniable way. Providing water is the first step to securing their livelihood. Keeping the water flowing is the never-ending second step. It is an investment with a return incalculable in numbers and figures, but in quality of life.

The picture above provided by Biliana Rakocevic.

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Do you think building new water wells is more important that rehabilitating nonfunctiong ones?

What are your thoughts on well maintenance and water projects in the developing world?

Sustainable development is a buzz word in the international non-profit sphere. Bringing clean water to communities who once lived without the precious resource is a rung on the ladder of infrastructural development. But if the well breaks, how is the well building process a marker of development or truly sustainable?

Erin Kraft is the Program Coordinator of New Global Citizens International (NGCI) that partners with Sustainable Resources Ltd. (SRL) on the Malawi Well Repair Project (MWRP). MWRP services wells that have been abandoned and are unusable in Malawi, Africa. MWRP is one of the few programs of its kind that works to fix water wells that are faulty or defective in Malawian villages.

In a telephone interview, Kraft told WaterWideWeb, “Well-intentioned organizations go into countries in Africa and build wells. Some of these wells costs up to $30,000.00, but after they break, they are unusable and the money invested in the project is wasted”.

When water wells break, a typical solution is to build another well in place of the broken one. Dr. Jan Snyder is an Engineering Educator, President of Sustainable Resources Ltd and cofounding member of MWRP. In a telephone interview, Snyder told WaterWideWeb, “In Malawi, I would bet that there are over 10,000 wells that aren’t serviced.”

The population of Malawi is approximately 14 million people. Ninety-five percent of the population lives in the bush. Each well provides roughly 200 to 300 villagers with clean water. If over 10,000 wells aren’t serviced, that means 2 to 3 million people are without clean water as a result of broken water wells.

Snyder found that replacing the donut shaped rubber part that rubs against the pipe casing to create water flow is the simple yet overlooked solution to broken wells. Snyder’s solution only costs $5.00 USD per well. He plans to take his technology on the road with the MWRP.

The framework of the MWRP is based upon the participation of local community members. MWRP will train local community residents in well maintenance and repair. After receiving the proper training, those individuals will then launch small businesses and offer to service broken wells in nearby villages.

The end result of MWRP is capacity building through local entrepreneurship. The ability to supply water for rural communities then lies within the community itself. Citizens are empowered economically through small business entrepreneurship and are trained in a skill set that can be shared with other groups.

The MWRP presents a novel, low cost solution to rectify a developmental effort that was rendered unsuccessful. MWRP offers a remedial response to an underlying problem that hinders the progress of vulnerable communities.

When asked if there was a standard for well building, Snyder replied, “I don’t know of any guidelines of well building or maintenance in Malawi or other parts of Africa.” In Malawi and other developing countries, guidelines for digging wells and maintaining them properly aren’t established, or if they are, they are not adhered to.

“After three to five years, the rubber pieces in the water well wear out”, Snyder explained. Essentially, water wells need to be maintained regularly to ensure that all the parts function properly. Standards for building wells and regulations on maintenance and water quality must be instituted to achieve the ultimate goal of water well projects, which is to provide a sustainable water source to vulnerable communities.

Water-borne disease are a leading killer in developing nations and women and girls are forced to travel long distances in search of clean water if their well no long functions properly. Poverty, public health and economic growth are fundamentally linked to clean water.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations are organized to eradicate extreme poverty, improve maternal health, combat disease, and promote gender equality of women and girls. The aforementioned goals are directly linked to water access.

Digging new wells should no longer be a viable option if a well that requires repairs could supply water. The amount of resources in time, materials, and financial support are wasted when new water well building takes precedence over rehabilitating pre-existing wells.

Opting to build a new well diverts funds that could be used for advancement in economics, public health, and responsible use of resources. Development happens at the local level if infrastructure improves after the initial relief effort was implemented.

When communities can safely rely on existing water wells that can be repaired and maintained locally,  reliance on external relief will be less commonplace and development that is indeed sustainable will become a reality.

Please watch this video of well repair work in Malawi by Sustainable Resources Ltd: Nntchisi Well Repair in Malawi

International Action (IA) is an organization that provides water resources throughout Haiti. The organization lost 80 percent of the water wells that they built as a result of the January 12^th earthquake. Nonetheless, IA continues to service Haiti by providing chlorinators and clean water to the country.

Executive Director Lindsay Mattison discussed the work of IA and their response to the cholera epidemic in an exclusive telephone interview with WaterWideWeb (WWW). Mattison said IA has already dispatched 900 chlorine tablets to organizations working with cholera infected people and other NGOs in the public health sector.

IA works directly with Direction Nationale de l’Eau Potable et Assainissement (DINEPA), a Haitian water agency, to provide clean water to those who need it. Presently, IA is at work in St. Marc where the cholera outbreak began and continues to spread. IA is primarily working to prevent cholera from reaching to communities that have not been infected.

Armed forces have created blockades to prevent Haitians from fleeing St. Marc. “There are about seven or eight people who arrive in Port-au-Prince everyday who get past the roadblocks that are keeping people from leaving St. Marc” said Mattison. If cholera infected people mass migrate to Port-au-Prince, where sanitation conditions are still unmonitored and access to clean water and hygienic amenities are lacking, casualties from the cholera epidemic would spike.

Internally displaced Haitians are susceptible to cholera and other water-borne diseases. IA plans to supply sixty eight 2,000 gallon containers of clean water to at-risk areas in Haiti. IA also distributes chlorine tablets to local communities and teaches residents how to effectively use them for water purification.

Clean Water for Haiti (CWH) is a faith-based organization that has worked in Haiti since 2001. CWH installs bio-sand water filters that remove 95-99 percent of the bacteria found in drinking water. Currently, CWH is working in the St. Marc area to maximize prevention of further spread of cholera.

Peter Craig is the site manager at CWH’s location in Pierre Payen in the Artibonite Valley. In a telephone interview with WWW, Craig discussed the impact of the cholera epidemic and the overall infrastructural incapacity of water systems in Haiti.

 “The cholera epidemic is a good example of how far behind the rest of the world Haiti is,” said Craig. In Haiti, public works programs are not in place to monitor water quality and management systems. “Conditions that led to the cholera outbreak were possible in Haiti but not in other places of the world like Europe in Canada”, Craig continued.

Approximately 300 deaths are attributed to Haiti’s cholera epidemic. But Craig noted that since St. Marc is a remote and rural area, health organizations may be impeded from accounting for every cholera fatality. In Pierre Payen where Craig is located, a small mission hospital is overwhelmed from the patient influx they have received from the nearby St. Marc Hospital.

Living conditions in Haiti are optimizing the potential for a cholera epidemic. “Even before the epidemic, people were dying from water borne diseases” said Craig. Diarrhea and typhoid claim the lives of Haitians every day.

Lack of infrastructural development underscores tragedies like the cholera epidemic and other water-related fatalities in Haiti. Sanitation programs in Haiti are not implemented or maintained. Bio sand filters and other water purification methods should be distributed throughout the country. Latrines and other systems to effectively manage human excreta are vital to prohibiting future water contamination.

The cholera epidemic in Haiti highlights the urgency for dependable nation-wide water management systems.  Living in overcrowded displacement camps without access to clean water creates an ideal environment for cholera to ravage the country. Proper hygiene articles and clean water must be provided to internally displaced Haitians residing in the congested tent cities to avert the cholera epidemic from crippling the country.

Chlorination systems, bio sand filters, and clean water resources are preventative measures to avoid public health risks that endanger Haitian lives on a local level. Cholera and other water-borne diseases must be combated systematically on the regional and national levels to make a substantive impact on the underlying water problem. Resolutions to Haiti’s cholera epidemic and overall water complexities require a governmental water program that monitors water quality and sanitation systems. Hope for Haiti includes provision of free and uncontaminated water.

Photo above provided by International Action.