To successfully scale our approach, it is critical that we thoroughly understand the impact of a Safe Water Station on a water source within the context of the many other pressures that tax existing sources. Safe water transforms lives, but improved livelihoods also means more industry, more agriculture and more population growth, all of which requires more water. There is also rising concern about the impact of climate change on watersheds resulting in greater seasonal fluctuations because drought and flooding can both negatively impact a watershed.
Safe Water Network is committing extensive resources toward understanding these dynamics to ensure that our model minimizes its environmental impact and that future generations have abundant safe water.
Safe Water Network uses national standards to quantify the quality of its operations and environmental protection. With the help of our partners we are establishing norms for the communities we work with to ensure that they implement environmentally safe practices and adopt appropriate protocols to improve water use efficiency.
The establishment of standards and protocols ensures that as the model is broadly replicated, appropriate controls, checks and balances are in place to maintain a watershed long-term. Ongoing monitoring and measurement enables the community to evaluate the impact of its operation and make the necessary adjustments to preserve local water sources. Safe Water Network is also providing the training and support required to develop local awareness of the need to view a water source as a precious commodity worthy of protection for future generations.
Our water resource management priorities for 2014/2015 are focused on ensuring that the integrity of the water sources on which we depend are well understood and maintained. We will develop a GIS-based decision support system using core environmental data from micro-watersheds where Safe Water Stations are located. This system provides an understanding of the hydrogeology around a water source and it also contributes to the identification of appropriate locations for siting Safe Water Stations.
To learn how you can help us preserve existing water sources contact:
Subhash Jain at firstname.lastname@example.org