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Bringing Clean, Safe Water to Central America
Written by
Bonnie Gillespie
, Staff Writer, Redcross.org
Wednesday, May 19, 2004 — On the banks of the river Chixoy in rural Guatemala, a young girl teeters toward the water’s edge, her tiny hand outstretched to splash the surface of the brown, stagnant stream. “No!” Her mother calls from a few yards behind, and the child stops abruptly.
A Guatemalan boy enjoys clean water from a Red Cross well.
Image Courtesy of the IFRC
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Mothers near the Chisec village of Guatemala know all too well that the Chixoy’s murky waters harbor billions of disease-causing bacteria, which could claim not only their children’s health, but possibly their lives. However, the tides are changing. Thanks to the work of the American Red Cross and the Chlorine Chemistry Council (CCC), its members and partners, local residents of all ages have access to clean, safe drinking water.
Around the world, a child dies every eight seconds of a water-related disease, but through the life-saving work of the American Red Cross and organizations like the CCC, humanitarian partnerships are making an impact on nations like Guatemala.
Water and sanitation projects implemented in communities throughout South America are not only bringing a safe and sustainable water supply to remote areas, but are also working to improve overall hygiene and sanitation.
“Projects like this truly make a difference in the health conditions of a community,” said Sandy Brady, a native of Guatemala and International Services worker at the American Red Cross.
“Having safe water to drink eliminates severe health problems like diarrhea, and through hygiene programs people learn how to wash food better and understand the importance of things such as hand washing.”
"Providing a safe, sustainable drinkable water supply is the single most important contribution we can make to improve community health. Chlorination is a cornerstone of waterborne disease prevention, and our commitment remains steadfast in continuing our partnership with the American Red Cross," said CCC Executive Director C. T. "Kip", Howlett, Jr.
This Red Cross water tower provides water to these Guatemalans and more than 200 of their neighbors.
Image Courtesy of the IFRC
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Sanitary facilities in many parts of Guatemala are non-existent, and agricultural production is hampered by sandy soil and minuscule amounts of rainfall. Additionally, the population lacks the infrastructure to deal with proper disposal of fecal materials and garbage, which further contributes to contaminated living conditions.
“Many of the areas benefiting from the programs are rural communities where people live under the poverty level,” said Brady. “But what helps make these programs work in the long term is that we involve the people of the community, training them to teach each other about sanitation and maintenance of water facilities.”
With Red Cross water and sanitation programs, local families have hands-on involvement from the beginning, clearing land and even digging ditches for the laying of plastic water pipes. Not only does this minimize costs, it also creates a personal investment from each family in their local water system, ensuring that the community will have the knowledge and the will to maintain the water system.
Since Hurricane Mitch ravaged the area in 1998, the American Red Cross has been working with the Guatemalan Red Cross to help restore sustainable water supplies throughout the devastated area. To date, more than 15,000 Guatemalans have benefited from the wells and latrines supplied by the humanitarian partners.
Through ongoing collaboration with the organizations like Chlorine Chemistry Council, American Red Cross water and sanitation programs continue, bringing clean water to communities in Guatemala and around the world.
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