Why Is Clean Water Important?
Clean water is essential for life! Dirty and contaminated water can be deadly. Waterborne illnesses like diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid fever, cholera, and Hepatitis A often result when contaminated water is consumed. This contamination is caused by industrial waste, animal waste, pollution, open defecation, and other sources.
Why is clean water important?
According to the United Nations, 1.9 billion people (27 percent of the world’s population) live in “potentially severely water-scarce” areas.1 This is unacceptable and organizations around the world have jumped into action to provide safe, clean water for those people. GFA World has been serving in Asia for over 40 years, bringing clean water, humanitarian aid, educational opportunities, community development, and God’s love to the people of Asia. We are also planning to started providing these services in Rwanda as well, while looking forward to reaching many more African countries in the coming years.
GFA World provides clean water through two primary sources:
Jesus Wells
These wells are drilled as deep as necessary to provide water even during the driest season. Wells are drilled by local contractors—an act that stimulates the local economy. These wells are maintained by a local church and pastor, who share the responsibility to keep the well in good working order. Water from Jesus Wells is equally available to all people, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, cast, and so on.
BioSand Water Filters
These filters provide clean water to individual families or small communities. These filters can make water 98% pure while lasting up to 20 years if properly cared for. The filter uses a concrete box, diffuser plate, fine sand, coarse sand, and gravel to remove impurities from the water.
As you study the importance of clean water and the predicament of those without it, consider the options mentioned above. GFA World has been providing these micro-solutions to poverty and water scarcity in Asia for decades.
1 The United Nations world water development report 2018: nature-based solutions for water; facts and figures. UNESCO Digital Library, p. 2. unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/water/wwap/wwdr/2018-nature-based-solutions. 2018.