DOC RTT SER Vata Be Catia be as ub Sunday, March 28, 1993 - North Shore News - Se EM eC rie ode say 41 hae nT no) . Lie N. Van residents help bring clean water to Africa YOU'VE BEEN Jooking forward to a long cool drink of water. What comes out of the tap isn't what you expected. The water is slightly clouded. is safe to drink. Turbidity is prevalent in local water during heavy rainstorms, Landslides wash silt and soil down to the watershed, the fine silt is difficult to filter out. But Tom Heath, water planning couver residents... It’s not very appealing, but it By Karen Haines Contributing Writer administrator of the Greater Van- couver Water District, says the turbidity ‘tis purely: an esthetic : ‘ - -Photo submitted AN AFRICAN ‘woman gets water from a well in the Chitukula district of Malawi. The well was parilaliy funded by North Van- Photofinishing cancern. We have never had a health risk.’’ Considering that North Shore residents get an unlimited, safe supply of clean water for about $10 3 month, they don't often complain about the occasional cloudy beverage. , But in the southern African country of Malawi,. thousands of people aren’t as fortunate. Their drinking water can, and does, pose tremendous health risks. Until recently, many of them relied on polluted water holes, That's no longer the case — not since residents of North Van- couver, working with WaterCan, raised their glasses in support of clean water. WaterCan is a coalition of 15 Canadian organizations support- ing clean water and_ sanitation projects overseas. The organization gets money for its programs through the par- ticipation of Canadian municipalities in the Water Bill Program. WaterCan donation leaflets are enclosed in consumers’ water bills. Donations sent in by residents are matched four-to-one with funding from the Canadian Inter- national Develupment Agency. WaterCan does not implement” projects. Instead, member organizations submit proposals to WaterCan for funding. After undergoing an extensive review by water engineers, hydrologists and development workers, an overseas project is twinned with a Canadian municipality. North Vancouver is currently twinned with a project in the Chitukula district of Malawi. The densely populated area out- side the country’s capital, Lilongwe, is off the beaten track. “Once you leave the main road you are’in an area as rural and underdeveloped as any you will find in Africa,’’ said Brian Hoeniger. March 28 - April 3, 1993 Receive 2 sets OR 1 Hour Service for these Incredibly LOW Prices! 7 2 exposures ges 24 exposures 698 36 exposures 085 1992-93 UPPER DECK HIGH SERIES (U.S. or Retail) 58 pack Hoeniger manages the project for the Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief (CPAR), the ex- ecuting agency for the project. When he first arrived in Chitukula in 1991, he surveyed 10 communities. “Of 100 sources of water, 80 were unprotected wells,"’ said Hoeniger. ‘‘In cach case the un- protected wells were contaminated by waste from cattle and humans." Contaminated water is the primary cause of water-borne disease like diarrhea, dysentery and typhoid. These diseases were the main cause of 320 deaths out of every 1,000 children under the age of five in the area. Until recently, cholera .was a frequent infection in many villages. ‘ In Chitukula, CPAR has over- seen the construction of 40 wells funded by WaterCan. About 16,000 people in 31 communities have benefited from the North Vancouver contribu- tions. “For some months now there haven’t been any cases of cholera,’’ said a Chitukula com- munity health-care nurse. The WaterCan approach to a clean water project is unique. “The ultimate goal,’’ said Hoeniger, ‘‘is to bring about a process of community empower- ment.” 4 WaterCan projects are initiated only after. communities show a willingness to take responsibility for the upkeep of the wells. The jandscape of Africa is dot- ted with neglected wells, bdecause some projects didn’t have the full participation of a community. “Ideally a village will approact us,"’ said Hoeniger. “Villages will have a series o° meetings, they will plan the con struction, form labor teams, mak: bricks and appoint caretakers."’ Two women in each community are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the wells. It’s a natural extension of their respon- sibilities as primary caregivers in African society. Without a nearby water source, women haul water, often walking long distances from their homes. ‘They also see to the health of the children and their families’ nutritional needs. The success, of this WaterCan- sponsored twinning between North Vancouver and Malawi goes beyond the provision of clean water. Health-care and ‘sanitation workshops are integral to the pro- ject. ; The project requirements may seem demanding, but ‘they ensure that the projects are sustainable, and that once the Canadians head home, villagers can still reap the benefits. Installing a- village well costs about $1,700. This includes trans- portation of work crews, digging, and the purchase of materials.. _The most expensive item is the pump. : “Ii may seem like a lot of money, but $1,700 supplies a village of 170 people with clean water,’’ said Hoeniger. For morc information on water projects supported by local com- munities, contact WaterCan at 323 Chapel St., Ottawa, KIN 722, or call (613) 230-5182. (Offer ends April 15/93) 8