Without Clean Water Katie Neis Neis

Exploring water shortages and contamination in African communities, as well as in United States Indigenous peoples. In an effort to draw parallel, explore the causes, and solutions for change Exploring water shortages and contamination in African communities, as well as in United States Indigenous peoples. In an effort to draw parallel, explore the causes, and solutions for change

Facts about water usage and contamination

The average American uses 100 to 175 gallons of water at home each day… A person needs 4 to 5 gallons of water per day to survive

while the average African FAMILY uses about 5 gallons

1.2 billion — Number of people worldwide who do not have access to clean water. 6.8 billion — Gallons of water Americans flush down their toilets every day

Water systems fail at a rate of 50% or higher 88% of all diseases are caused by unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitations and poor hygiene.

1.8 million Children die each year from diarrhea – that’s 4,900 deaths each day. This college campus has about 19,000 students, that’s a quarter of WSU’s students dying each and every day…

Millions of women and children spend several hours a day collecting water from distant, often polluted sources. People have to travel further and further to reach water everyday. In Africa, this burden is placed primarily on women and children

At any given time, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from a water-related disease. The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through disease than any war claims through guns…

Geographically the United States and Africa are vastly different, yet there are many similar problems surrounding water in both countries. These numerous problems, and projects, in Africa and the United States increase water shortages and contamination

The Four Dams project, stemming the flow of the Orange River which runs between South Africa and Namibia, has since then dried the land, covered much of South Africa’s farmland, and cost the state 75% of its yearly budget to buy back the water.

The Grand Coulee Dam, in Washington State, was built in 1933, and lies directly below the Colville Indian Reservation affecting their landscape, water quality, and salmon runs which tie directly into their health.

They have fragmented and transformed the world's rivers, million people have been displaced by reservoirs created from dams.

Supporters point to the social and economic development demands, such as irrigation, electricity, flood control and water supply, but what about the displacement of people, debt burdens on the host country, destruction of ecosystems, and the unequal sharing of costs and benefits?

Dams, especially large scale ones, have led to loss of forests and wildlife habitat, the loss of aquatic biodiversity, and have definitely negatively impacted on water quality.

This poor water quality is unfairly burdened on Indigenous peoples and people in third world countries who do not have the means, whether socially or economically, to fight off the destruction of their ecosystems…

Many of the displaced are not recognized, and therefore are not resettled or compensated. Readjustment programs are poorly constructed for the people left behind, there is little left after their livelihoods, and land, have been destroyed.

Water contamination and shortages, in the next 25 years, will decrease Africa’s crop production about 23%. Consider that 200 million people already lack access to clean water.

As recently as the 26 of August 2007, 80,000 thousand people on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona had NO running water. Navajo representatives stated that there would be a water war if nothing was done.

There is a 270 mile pipeline named the Navajo- Gallup Water Supply Project, being fought by agricultural groups, to relieve the nearly 80,000 Navajo people without running water.

Water all over the world has been turned into a commodity, an economic opportunity as some would say, Africa’s people and the Indigenous people of the Untied States are only a few of the hardest hit by water being turned into a commodity.

Suez affiliate Johannesburg Water provides privatized water for South Africa, at the urging of the World Bank.

Johannesburg Water’s pricing strategies fail to incorporate eco-social factors, including public health, gender equity, the environment or economic benefits such as employment generation or stimulation of small- scale enterprises

“The shallow sewer system is also attractive to the company... The most extraordinary feature is that pipes are regularly blocked with excrement, not by accident but as a matter of deliberate cost-savings.” There are recommendations for the people to unclog their own sewer systems as “Maintenance procedures”.

Peabody Coal Company, which drains more than a billion gallons of water from an underground aquifer in Arizona each year to transport coal… That’s three million gallons a day.

One government study shows contamination of the aquifer may already taking place, as changes in the water pressure and amount allow contaminated water from another aquifer to seep in.

A slowly changing landscape… A slowly changing landscape…

The Rural Community Assistance Corporation is currently doing studies on waste generation and recycling, contamination testing, well sampling, water operations certification classes, etc. for Indigenous peoples across the United States, trying to get them their rights to basic human rights

A settlement has been reached in regards to the $710 million dollar Navajo-Gallup Pipeline, aiding in protecting Native American’s cultures and way of life

As of December 13, 2007 construction on the Navajo-Gallup pipeline has begun. 20 years after completion, the tribe may be able to sell the water to the surrounding cities. Much needed drinking water will be provided for future generations, and the tribes will gain the ability to pursue economic development.

Much needed drinking water will be provided for current and future generations, and the tribes will gain the ability to pursue economic development.

The WTO, World Bank, or IMF may all be called on, to an even greater degree that currently, to step in to try and ’solve’ these problems, even though they have consistently promoted privatization of water resources

Africa’s push to reduce water contamination and scarcity for its most impoverished citizens, may need to come from civil society, in an organized effort to force policymakers to amend existing water laws and give control of the water back to the people

But don’t think that the water war is over… it has only begun.

Works Cited In order of appearance through slides for CES 440 educational purposes… enterforabetterlife.com pgIDhttp://water.org/waterpartners.aspx? pgIDc=916=916 image: levkurt.stumbleupon.com catewayne.blogspot.com sociolingo.wordpress.com

Works Cited Continued… gees.usc.edu ml 1/water.shortage.reut/ en.wikipedia.org water.com/Native_American_Water_Issue s.htm html /02/thumbnail.jpg goafrica.about.com

Works Cited Continued… navajo.org/images/pdf releases/George Hardeen/nov gh/