What is Happening with Haiti's Water?

The people of Haiti, especially in rural areas, struggle to have access to clean water and sanitation methods and systems. The January 2010 earthquake in Haiti displaced many citizens to areas without piped water or sanitation, and soon after, in October of the same year, a Cholera outbreak hit. The suspected cause of the epidemic was an untreated river from which many got their water. The main issue with access to water in Haiti is their lack of sanitation due to missing infrastructure and mismanagement of the resources that the country has been given.

Grand Valley has a resource for information on Safe and Sustainable Water for Haiti, featuring research, events, and opportunities for students to get involved.

Literature on Haiti

Check out the list of Published Literature on the Safe and Sustainable Water for Haiti webpage.

Resources

"Empowering Haitians With Clean, Safe Water" HaitiWater.org

This site offers not only an explanation for what is happening with the health and safety of Haitian people but a justification for why access to clean water is the best solution for the problems they face.

"Water Supply and Sanitation in Haiti" wikipedia.org

The wiki site for water and sanitation in Haiti gives an overview of the history and projected future of access to clean water in Haiti. To get an understanding of how these issues came to light and what has been done so far in hopes of providing better water and sanitation, this is a good starting point.

Videos

"A New Plan for Clean Water in Haiti" Rotary

Rotary member Neil Van Dine spent 15 years struggling to dig wells and keep them operational throughout Haiti. At one point, he learned that half of the wells weren't operational. Previous efforts to provide maintenance weren't holding up. Neil and his team reassessed and came up with a new plan

"When bad engineering makes a natural disaster even worse" TedTalk by Peter Haas

What did the world learn from the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010? That shoddy buildings and bad planning can make a terrible situation even worse. "Haiti was not a natural disaster," says TED Fellow Peter Haas. "It was a disaster of engineering." The solution: Help builders on the ground get trained in modern engineering practices, so they can rebuild their country stronger, brick by brick.

While you continue to educate yourself on issues like access to clean water in Haiti that affect communities across the globe, remember to have open dialogues with friends, family, and colleges about the ways that access to water clean is not always equal. Recommend different resources from above that helped broaden your own perspective and continue the conversation. 

With all social justice issues, it’s important not only to have open discussions but to take action if and when you are able. Below are a number of places to get involved through donations, participation in events, and simple actions.

Water in Crisis - Haiti - The Water Project

charity: water

If you have any other information or resources related to clean water in Haiti or other issues, please let us know at [email protected].