Water and Sanitation

A plentiful supply of clean water for drinking, cooking, and washing is something we in the United States take for granted. Almost 20 percent of the world’s population, however, lacks access to safe drinking water; nearly 50 percent have no access to basic sanitation.

During man-made and natural disasters, International Medical Corps (IMC) delivers fresh water and water storage tanks to the survivors and cleans water supplies that have been contaminated. IMC drills and/or rehabilitates wells and boreholes, trains locals to maintain and repair them, and installs irrigation systems for crops to ensure food security. To help prevent the spread of diseases such as acute diarrhea, typhoid, cholera and schistosomiasis, IMC digs latrines, builds wastewater canals, and rehabilitates sewage systems. Critically, to secure the health of the community in the long term, staff and volunteers conduct outreach and offer extensive health and hygiene education.

Clean water and basic sanitation are key to the health and well-being of disaster-affected populations everywhere. International Medical Corps’ work in this area saves lives, and gives communities the chance to build bright futures for their children.