Focus on Haiti

Water
How can we increase the world’s access to clean water?
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
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 floods.
Yet many people oppose dams because
they often damage nearby agriculture
and fishing and can create flooding
during heavy rainfall—greatly altering
fragile ecosystems.
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 world’s 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
Each  year  millions of children die
Is there enough water for everyone?
unnecessarily  due  to a   lack of clean  water
Today, almost 900 million people do not
have access to safe drinking water—about
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 difficult or even impossible
to meet basic water needs.
How can this happen? There are
increasing demands on the world’s 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 Earth’s water is undrinkable.
Although 70 percent of the planet’s
surface is water, almost all of it is saltwater
in the oceans. Only 3 percent of the
world’s 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 can’t we use water from the
ocean? Removing salt from water, called
desalination, would greatly help with the
world’s 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.
WATER AROUND THE WORLD
How much water do you use each day?

Some countries have abundant, untapped stores of water to support population

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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, 2005–2015 was designated as the ‘Water for Life’ decade.

Water Issues Around the World Despite abundant rainfall in Bangladesh,

the overpopulated country faces a lack
of clean sanitation facilities. This is
causing waste to flow into and pollute
many nearby rivers and streams, creating
serious health problems and deaths.

North America
Europe Asia
At an average
cost of 2 cents
per gallon, tap
water is relatively
inexpensive and
available throughout
the United States.
Africa

In Haiti water
is a matter of
life and death.
Unclean water In 2000, a private By 3pm in the
South America
is one of the company took over afternoon, many
primary causes the water system girls in Somalia are
of illness and in the city of already making their
many of those Cochabamba, second trip of the day
who get sick Bolivia. Household to collect water for
cannot afford water costs soon their families. Since
the necessary quadrupled, setting only 29 percent of
medical off large protests by the population has
treatment. residents. For many access to clean
families, this cost The crisis in the Darfur region water, the closest
increase meant that of Sudan has been called the water source is often
almost half of their first war over water. Climate a 2–3 hour walk each
monthly income went change, land degradation and way. This prevents
to paying for water. desertification are among the many children from
main causes of the conflict that studying or spending
has left 300,000 people dead time with friends.
Source: WHO 2011, UNICEF 2011, and EPA 2011 and over 2.7 million displaced.

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
HAITI
How does a history of instability affect a country’s development?

A Troubled Past
Haiti was the first Caribbean state to
achieve independence and the only nation
?
colony St. Domingue. There was a heavy
importation of slaves from western Africa,
in world history born of a successful and the colony soon became one of the
slave revolt. Yet decades of poverty, wealthiest in the Caribbean. In the late 18th
Haiti environmental degradation, violence, and century, Haiti’s 500,000 slaves revolted and
political instability have left it as the poorest started a rebellion. Under the leadership
country in the western hemisphere, with of Toussaint L’Ouverture, they were able
over half the population living on less than to overthrow the colonial government and
$1.25 a day. declare independence in 1804.
When Christopher Columbus landed on Since its independence, however, Haiti
the island of Hispaniola in 1492, it was has been plagued by instability and
inhabited by Taino Amerindians. The dictatorships and it is now among the
Spanish soon settled on the island and poorest countries in the world. The lack
then ceded the west and central sides of foreign investment contributes to the
Haiti Country to the French in 1697, who called the declining economic situation of the 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

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 influences from Taino and African
languages, as well as Portuguese, Spanish and English.

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
WATER IN HAITI
What would you do to improve water access in Haiti?

The International Water Poverty Index

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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 five 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 tree’s roots and staying in the soil. This leaves many
lakes empty and dries up the soil.
What would you do to prevent this cycle?
Citoya’s Story
Citoya is seven years old and
lives in Saut d’Eau, a rural village What is being done since the
in Haiti. Every afternoon she 2010 earthquake?
spends an hour walking with her
sister to the closest spring. There, Organizations like Concern Worldwide are working throughout Haiti to help to bring
the girls fill up buckets of water clean and safe drinking water to local residents. This life-saving work has become
to carry back home. The water is even more critical since January 2010, when a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck
enough to last the rest of the day, Port-au-Prince and left 1.5 million people displaced from their homes. Concern launched
but it must be boiled or treated an immediate, large-scale emergency response within 48 hours of the disaster. Since
before anyone can drink it. A few then, Concern has been providing access to clean water and sanitation to over 75,000
times a week, the family goes people living in camps. For the future, Concern is working with local communities to
to the spring together to bathe ensure sustainable access to clean water and sanitation in order to help Haiti recover
and wash clothes or other items. and rebuild for the long term.
Citoya’s day is very busy—going 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?

CHECK IT OUT
See the International Water Poverty Index: http://earthtrends.wri.org/text/water-resources/variable-1299.html
Learn more about the benefits of trees: http://www.arborday.org
HOW CAN WE INCREASE THE WORLD’S
ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER?
Poorly managed water resources
are also a source of conflict—over
scarce access in water distressed
regions—and 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 way—unless
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
Possibilities and Options
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 world’s
access to clean water.
Which do you think are the best ways
to increase the world’s 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 efficiently than
conventional irrigation methods by releasing
the water slowly to a specific 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 retrofit
their faucets and showerheads, displace
water in their toilet tank, and fix water
leaks, millions of gallons of water could
be saved every day.
Water Treaties
?
Conflict 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 conflict between nations over
shared water supplies. Past water treaties
have been created in order to avert conflict
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 flushing. 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?
Private Ownership
Private companies now control the
water supplies in some areas. Often,
this creates a more efficient system
and allows more people access to
available water. Yet, while water
companies are able to update water
systems, making them more efficient
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 people’s 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 filters 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 earth’s water is saltwater in
the oceans, desalination could create
a much greater amount of available
freshwater to the world’s 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 20–600 feet below the earth’s
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.
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
CHECK IT OUT ! engineers to create the networks,
Watch our student-narrated we need every human being
“Water in Haiti” video: to be aware of how precious
http://www.concernusa.org/ water is and save it. Do not
waste it. Everybody has to be
gcc/medialibrary/
involved in a very firm and
assertive way.
—Isabel Allende,
writer and environmentalist
 References and Resources
WATER United Nations Joint Monitoring Program Millennium Campaign
National Geographic for Water Supply & Sanitation www.endpoverty2015.org/goals/
ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0209/ www.wssinfo.org environmental-sustainability
feature1/ Water Supply & Sanitation Collaborative World Water Day
UNESCO World Water Development Council www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/
Report www.wsscc.org Global Handwashing Day
www.unesco.org/new/en/natural- www.globalhandwashingday.org/
sciences/environment/water/wwap/ haiti
wwdr/ Amnesty International
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency www.amnesty.org/en/region/haiti CONCERN WORLDWIDE US, INC
www.epa.gov/ebtpages/water.html Ayiti: The Cost of Life Game www.concernusa.org
Water.org http://ayiti.globalkids.org/game/
355 Lexington Avenue
http://water.org/ BBC News 19th Floor
WHO http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/ New York, NY 10017
www.who.int/topics/water/en/ country_profiles/1202772.stm 212-557-8000
World Bank Human Rights Watch
http://youthink.worldbank.org/issues/ www.hrw.org/americas/haiti 332 South Michigan Avenue
environment UNICEF Suite 630
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/haiti. Chicago, IL 60604
organizations html 312-431-8400
The Global Water Partnership
www.gwpforum.org Campaigns Global Concerns Classroom
The World Water Council End Water Poverty
@concernGCC
www.worldwatercouncil.org www.endwaterpoverty.org/

This publication is intended to inform readers about the issue of water and does not necessarily
reflect the views of Concern Worldwide U.S. Inc. or Concern Worldwide on this issue.
Concern Worldwide does not officially recommend or endorse any of these organizations.
Concern Worldwide U.S. Inc. is a New York not-for-profit corporation exempt from Federal
income taxation under section 501(c) (3). Concern Worldwide U.S. Inc. supports projects
carried out in the field by Concern Worldwide, registered in Ireland.
This publication was written and produced in 2004, updated in 2008 and 2012.
Photos: Haiti, Concern Worldwide.