This topic needs little introduction, as everyboy knows that waterborne illness is the leading cause of preventable death in the world.
This is a couple of inches of "water" in a 5 gallon bucket that I retrieved from our tap after a rainstorm during my first week in my Peace Corps community, Piriatí Emberá
There are many challenges encountered in attempting to solve the scarcity of potable water: financial, technical, logistical, social, and political.
Building water systems can take quite a bit of materials, often more than a community can afford on its own.
How many pounds of rock and sand will a dugout canoe hold?
- The terrain can be challenging…
...and limited resources means we have to improvise.
It takes a lot of cooperation to get a deep trench through 6 miles of mountain.
...but it's certainly easier and more fun when everybody helps out.
Still, all the issues surrounding a clean, secure water source can be more difficult than they seem at first. For instance, sometimes people who cannot afford cattle must coexist with them.
