Submitted by: Karl Everett, District 5580 Water and Sanitation Chair
According to Rotary WASRAG Newsletter “Water insecurity is increasing worldwide. 36% of the world’s people live in water-scarce regions. On average, droughts affect over 50 million people annually and cause more than $5 billion of damage. These numbers are set to increase, due to population growth, rapid urbanization, and growing economic demands for water. Climate change further intensifies these pressures in many regions. In most cases, these threats are not just the result of weather variability but are also related to inadequate water management and governance issues. These dynamics render societies more vulnerable to short term water scarcity and longer-term droughts, while directly affecting local economies and social relations.”
What can we do as Rotarians? Tuesday, March 22 is established as World Water Day to make us aware of the importance of water resources.
World Water Day is an annual United Nations Observance, started in 1993, that celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2 billion people currently living without access to safe water. A core focus of World Water Day is to inspire action towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. The 2022 theme of World Water Day is, Groundwater—Making the Invisible Visible.
Groundwater is water found underground in aquifers, which are found in geological formations of rocks, sands and gravels that hold substantial quantities of water. Groundwater feeds springs, rivers, lakes and wetlands, and seeps into oceans. Groundwater is recharged mainly from rain and snowfall infiltrating the ground which can be extracted to the surface by pumps and wells. Almost all the fresh, potable water in the world is groundwater.
Working as an Environmental Engineer I’ve spent much of my career monitoring, sampling and protecting groundwater and surface water resources. In Rotary I’ve continued to work on water resources in 3rd world countries with our District 5580 Rotary clubs and I am proud of the successful projects that our District 5580 Clubs have completed with many international projects developing water resources for needy communities including water reservoirs in Bolivia, Juska Molle and Choquechompe reservoirs, and more recently water wells in Laguna Sulti Bolivia and water and sanitation projects in Ghana, and other projects.
We continue to look to help needy communities with water and sanitation projects around the world. I’m currently working with the Montreal Rotary Club and Bismarck Rotary on a request for supporting additional water & sanitation projects in Ghana, and planning another RI Global Grant working with Mano a Mano International for funding multiple water wells in the rural communities in Bolivia. Our District is also, supporting Papua New Guinea Oro Province Water Provision Project, proposed by Keith Brokke, to develop ten water wells as a humanitarian project to provide resources & training to indigenous nationals to facilitate access to potable water and address community water, sanitation, and hygiene needs. Please let us know if your club would like to get involved or participate in help funding these projects, or has any suggestions for other water and sanitation projects around the world. Thank you, Rotarians, for your support!
Thanks Sincerely.
Karl Everett
District 5580 Water and Sanitation Chair
