Clean Water

THERE IS MORE GOOD NEWS IN THE WORLD THAN BAD

Thousands have lived without love. Not one without water.  – W. H. Auden

Three people were sitting in a circle having a discussion about what is the world’s most important natural resource.

Fritz, a lumber executive, not surprisingly said, “In my opinion, trees are our most important natural resource. We use trees for building, making paper, and they store Co2, helping reduce the effects of greenhouse gases. They also provide food and a place for birds and animals to live, provides protection from the sun and just being amongst them is good for our health.”

Olive, a mining engineer said, “Yes trees are important, but I believe minerals are the most important resource.  Refined metals are used in building cars, buildings and machines. Some rare earth minerals are key components of the technology that makes our world work. Imagine what would happen if the technology companies could not get these precious metals? The devices could not be created, and the world would stop functioning.”

Sophie, a hydrologist who had been listening intently said, “Without a doubt, WATER IS OUR MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCE. Without water we would die. 

All living things from whales to humans to plants need water to survive. Without water, life as we know it would not exist and life exists wherever there is water.” Fritz and Olive quietly nodded in agreement. 

Sophie, who had had many conversations like this continued, “We take water for granted.   

In fact, it is estimated by many, including the U.S. Geological survey, that water covers 70% of the earth’s surface. Ninety-seven percent is sea water.

Of the 3%, which is fresh water, 30% is under ground (aquifer), and 69% is in the form of ice (glaciers and ice caps). Only 1% is surface water.

She continued, water is really only a molecule made up of three atoms: 2 parts hydrogen and one part oxygen, and when these come together we have water.

Many scientific experts believe water has been in existence since the world began, estimated to be 4 billion years ago. And the water we have today has been around for 4 billion years, including the water you used today in the shower.

This is corroborated by National Geographic. They also add all the water that will ever be, we have right now and comes in 3 forms: liquid (mainly clear running water), air (clouds) and solids (ice).*

What is fascinating is that water is continually moving and changing from one form to another. For example, ice melts and becomes a liquid as it warms, evaporates into the air and then comes back as rain. In general, the hotter it gets, the more rain we will have. However, it does not necessarily come back to where or when it is needed, such as putting out a forest fire.

This means in some places there may be too much water and in others too little. Often water can be unwanted, such as our winter snow and ice storms or hurricanes, and sometimes it is welcomed, when it comes as rain to water our crops.

 WHY IS WATER SO IMPORTANT TO INDIVIDUAL HUMANS?

More than 60% of our body is water, and health care experts suggest we should drink 6-8 glasses of water per day. We need water to regulate our body temperature, such as preventing or treating heat stroke or dehydration. It lubricates our joints. Water gives us energy, quenches our thirst, protects us from disease, cleans our bodies, protects our organs, and  generally enhances our health.

Just looking at water, such as a beautiful northern lake at  sunrise or sunset, or a thundering mountain waterfall, or watching and listening to the roar of the waves at an ocean beach can be mesmerizing  and can calm us down in an instant. We humans recognize this, as evidenced by going to a lake or seaside for a vacation, and the enhanced value we give to real estate located near the water.

In general, water makes people, all animal species and plants function better.  

WHY IS WATER SO IMPORTANT TO OUR PLANET?

Water regulates the earth’s temperature, (it is  normally cooler by the water) and regulates our climate, (storms, drought, floods). Water is needed to grow and provide food. More species live in the water (oceans, lakes and rivers) than anywhere else. It further shapes our planet through erosion and moving ice. Water provides transportation corridors – think ship traffic and Canada’s rivers and lakes being the highways for Canada’s fur trade.  We use water for recreation: swimming, paddling, sailing, water skiing and the snow for skiing. Water keeps our bodies clean, and healthy.   

PROBLEM AREAS  

It is not surprising that the continual movement and changes of water and water patterns can create huge problems.

Droughts, floods, food shortages, over use, destruction of vegetation, over fishing, loss of life, conflicts between countries, and poor sanitation and pollution. In many places our lakes and oceans have become huge garbage cans. Arguably the biggest water problem we have is an estimated 2 billion people do not have access to clean drinking water. The list could go on.* 

SOLUTIONS 

As a result, in general the people of the world recognize the huge importance of water and there are many organizations that have been created to reduce and protect our water and ensure people have access to clean water.

We have created standards, regulating bodies, and agencies that focus on preventing and solving these problems. These include:

• Most governments
• Humanitarian organizations such as CARE, Rotary, Water AID, and world food programmes
• Religious groups, foundations, corporations and millions of individuals who care for water as part of what they do every day.

The U.N. plays a huge role and is trying to raise awareness and money so that more than the 2 billion plus people in the world who do not have access to clean drinking water will  get it.

Step number one  was to declare having clean water is a HUMAN RIGHT.  

CANADA AND CANADIANS

In Canada we have an abundance of water. We have the 3^rd most in the world (after Brazil and Russia).

Nine percent of Canada’s land surface is covered with fresh water. We have over 2 million fresh water lakes, with Lake Superior being the largest, equal in size to Austria, and over 31,000 rivers. Ninety-nine percent of our people have access to clean water. The purest water in the world comes from an aquifer near Elmvale, Ont. However, as a country we do not have the world’s cleanest water.

What does that mean?

According to the Environmental Protection Index and others we score in the top 10. Estonia, Germany and the U.K. are the top 3.

The blot on our record is demonstrated by the disregard we have had to ensure Indigenous Peoples have clean water. Neskantaga in North Western Ontario, for example, has been living with a boiled water advisory for 30 years and there are many examples of communities dumping waste and sewage into our lakes, including Grassy Narrows, also an Indigenous  Community.

DEALING WITH THE PROBLEMS (Clean water)

Approximately 20% of the world does not have access to clean water for a number of reasons:  location, improper use and care of water systems, including existing wells, pollution and poor sanitation, animals, and location. Other factors include lack of rain causing drought, number of people, poor irrigation and conservation practices.

The U.N. and other organizations have made achieving clean water for everyone a high priority. The U.N. has made having clean water a human right. 

Currently clean water is obtained several ways including: the saving of rain water, better maintenance of existing wells, drilling of new wells, improving conservation, educating the users, having users pay a small amount for the bottled water, and boiled water. The sun too, can purify water.

There are many groups who have a focus on providing clean water. These include: humanitarian organizations Care, Water Aid, Rotary, and religious groups. The World Food Programme governments, foundations and individuals.

Not surprisingly, lack of clean water creates much suffering and hardship, hunger, disease and sickness.

For example, many women in countries with a shortage of clean drinking water are required to carry water from the rivers many miles every day.

I have seen and participated in CLEAN WATER initiatives in several countries:  Malawi, Indonesia (Sulawesi) and Burkina Faso in West Africa.

Here is a GOOD NEWS story from Burkina Faso in West Africa: 

Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world. In 2022 the government spent only $52 per person on health care.

The religious mix is 26% Christian, and 60% Muslim. The balance is none or other. However, the people get along and as with most poor people, if there is someone in need of help, religion is not a consideration.

In fact, an age-old custom in the country is the first sign of hospitality to a visitor is to offer them some water. 

About 20 years ago I was leading a Rotary group building a school in rural Burkina Faso. 

We were partnering with a Canadian Christian NGO called Careforce. Their Burkina Faso leader was Pastor Michel, a big full of life person. The school we were building was in the   village of Hope.  

Nearby was a village called Golmidou. There was a river 5 km away from the village where every day the women walked to the river, washed their clothes and brought back 40 pounds of water which they carried on their back. It was thought there was underground water close to the centre of the village where there possibly was clean water, but there was no money to drill to find out.

One of our participants was a person, then living in Toronto, named Sam Daniely who grew up and was educated in a kibbutz in Israel.

He had also spent time working in the Central African Republic when he was in the Israeli military, where many people were without clean water. Sam was passionate that everyone should have access to safe drinking water.

Sam sadly died between trips and his wife asked me if I could somehow use the money donated in his honour.   

We agreed providing drinking water for the village of Golmidou would be a perfect way to remember and honour Sam.   

To accomplish this we needed to raise more money, find a company who could find clean water and drill and install at a reasonable cost, hopefully by the time we returned with another team.

We had another trip planned in about a year and would like to have it done by then. This was a very frustrating process. By the time we arrived back in Burkina Faso we had raised the money and found a company, but Pastor Michel could not get them to tie down a time to start.

One morning we were scheduled to go to Golimbouu.  Just as we were boarding the bus, Pastor Michel came over with the news: the drilling company was going to the same village, that same day.

What luck! We would be there to see them drilling for Sam’s well. We were all buoyed by this happening.

About two hours after we arrived at the village a man came running over and shouted, ¨They have hit water and it is clean and drinkable!¨  

Everyone ran to the site: all of our team, village workers, local workers, mothers carrying young children on their backs, children from the school and elders. Missing were the women who had gone to the stream to wash clothes and bring back water, and the ailing chief who was in his home a short distance away.

People were jumping up and down and dancing. I was crying at the good fortune of hitting potable water when we were there, thinking of the difference it would make in the lives of these poor people.

Pastor Michel came up to me and said, ¨The chief wants to see us.¨ We were escorted to his hut where he met us. He was dressed in his flowing white robes and red headpiece and accompanied by others, including one of his several wives.

He motioned for us to kneel before him. He uttered some Muslim prayers and we drank with great trepidation a strange white concoction from a communal cup. He thanked us profusely for what we had done.

I was in a bit of a trance trying to digest what was happening. We went back to the centre of the village and did some more work. They gave us some chickens as thanks, and then we returned to our quarters in the village of Hope.

About two months after returning home a letter arrived written by the school teacher – the only person in the village who could read  or write.  A part of the letter follows:

 Greetings from Golmidou Burkina Faso.

All of the population of Golmidou thank you for the wonderful gift you gave them.  

Because of your visit to Golmidou, all of the people put me in charge to pass their gratitude to you because of the drinking water you gave them, a source of living that will significantly continue to reduce their sufferings. The gift of salvation which is drinking water is the proof that you love your neighbours as the bible recommends. Despite the distance between our two countries you accepted to come and live with us in our hard living conditions and sacrifice yourselves to help us. The almighty will always be with you and will guide your steps. 

We are very happy and will never forget what you have done. Even after our death this will remain and our grandchildren and many other generations will benefit under your wonderful gift.

We do not know how to express our happiness to you. 

Thank you very much. May God reward and bless you richly.

In the name of the whole population of Golmidou,  

Tarbangdo N. Francois 

That day the good news was that together we were able to make Sam’s wish come true, delivering the world’s most important resource: clean drinking water to the villagers of Golmidou.

Burkina Faso is still in need of clean water, however, many groups continue to work on it.  

Twenty years later in February 2025, the President of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traore, delivered some further good news: announcing the launch of a $145 million water project which includes improved irrigation, sustainable water management and sanitation which he says is destined to transform the nation.  

Till next time,

Chris Snyder 

Climate Optimist 

Email: snyderchris74@gmail.com
Stories of Good News and Hope: https://chrissnyder.makeanimpact.ca

*We will not run out of water but could run out of clean, fresh water.