Where’d The Water Go?

3.4 million people die each year from water, sanitation, and hygiene related causes.  That is almost the entire city of Los Angeles.  Oh and 99% of these deaths occur in the developing world.

780 million people lack access to clean water.  That is more than 2 and a 1/2 times the United States population.

Every twenty seconds, a child dies from a water-related illness.

Approximately one in nine people lack access to an improved water source.

An American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than the average person in a developing country uses for an entire day.

More people have a mobile phone than a toilet.

Women spend 200 million hours a day collecting water.

The majority of water borne illness is spread by fecal matter.  People are essentially ingesting poop.

Scary facts huh?! 

It is crazy what I took for granted in America and even here in Uganda.  I have been blessed with an awesome home, furnished with and Western toilet and thus running water.  Well this luxury came to an abrupt stop four days ago.

As I went to go do my dishes after a wonderful dinner of falafel and pita the water was not there.  I would turn and turn the faucet praying for a drop but nothing came.  I figured it would come back the next morning.

I was wrong.

At this point I had one jerrycan, twenty liters, full of treated water.  There was no way I was going to use my precious drinking water for dirty dishes.  So my dishes stayed contained in my basins.  I had also not showered yet.  Again, no way I was using my treated water for something a little extra deodorant couldn’t help with.

I called my landlord the next day to find out that this was a problem in the Ishaka/Bushenyi area and that the government is working on fixing the issue. 

Today I gave in and knew I had to do dishes.  And shower.  With my landlord’s permission I took my jerrycans to his house and filled them up from the water tank.  I also recommended to him that we install water tanks in the compound in the event this happens again.  Apparently this was already on his agenda.

Since Pre-Service Training, I knew I wanted to work with the youth in the area of water and sanitation.  I have designed “Happy Handwashing Hour” where I am going to teach proper handwashing techniques, like getting under your nails and washing for the length of two Yankee Doodles, discuss the prevention of water borne illnesses, and remind them the importance of drinking treated water.  This program may also result in the construction of water tanks for some of the more remote schools.

Long story short, do not take water for granted. 

It is truly a priceless commodity and serves so many benefits.