Water & Disaster

Important Notice: Learn about and donate to Lifewater's Field Trainer Mobilization Fund, which directly sends financial assistance to qualified volunteer WASH field trainers who are providing emergency relief services to countries hit by disaster.

Tsunamis, earthquakes, wars, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, famines, drought . . . Disasters come in many forms and can claim thousands of lives when they strike, as in the 2004 tsunami or the more recent tsunami in Japan. Nowhere is a disaster’s impact more readily seen than in communities already weakened by poverty. In fact, the Red Cross estimates that up to 97 percent of all deaths caused by disasters occur in developing countries.

Poverty-stricken communities are disproportionately dependent on natural resources in order to live and generate income and therefore endure a heavier burden induced by unsafe water. Around the world, poor communities lack the infrastructure, planning, and resources to handle the devastation that disasters can bring. “Poverty plays a major part in keeping people vulnerable to disasters. Disasters in turn keep people in poverty, wiping out the few resources they have.”^‡

Access to safe water is one of the main solutions needed to break the terrible cycle of destruction and death in impoverished communities. Without safe water, it is almost impossible to improve a community’s health, encourage economic productivity, or expand education--all basic components that affect a community’s preparedness for disaster.

In the aftermath of the 2004 Asia tsunami, quick distribution of safe water became a top priority for relief agencies. They knew that the survivors would become victims if not given an adequate supply of safe water to drink within twenty-four hours. Immediately, bottled water was distributed en masse along with water purification kits. This rapid response was critical in preventing a second tragedy due to water-related diseases.

Groups aiding in reconstruction after the 2004 tsunami have shifted gears from relief efforts to development efforts. As strategies change, access to safe water remains the top priority. In a few areas in Indonesia, safe, clean water continued to flow from properly constructed wells even when everything else around them had been destroyed. These wells show that a properly maintained water source can sustain people during a disaster and help them recover more quickly afterward. Sustainable water sources help lay the foundation for the infrastructure and planning that limits the devastation of natural disasters.¹⁴

Lifewater is committed to helping communities obtain the most foundational element of physical life: safe, clean water. Lifewater’s training programs strengthen communities, better preparing them for potential disasters and helping them to recover when they do occur. We are helping people move from asking the question of the present, “Where will I get my water today?” to thinking about future plans that will save lives.

^‡ TEARFUND, Before Disaster Strikes, March 2004.