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HEALTH AND SANITATION
Why do you believe access to water and sanitation is a human right?
By
Ava Hartman
David Viola, IAPMO CEO In the spirit of sharing unique experiences that shape the plumbing industries in our respective nations, the following article spotlights an international programme that encourages young people to pursue careers in plumbing. Written by IAPMO staff writer Mike Flenniken, it is the next in a regular series of similar articles that will run in this magazine. Dave Viola IAPMO CEO
“ Consequently, faecal contamination of groundwater results in the widespread infestation of cholera and other pathogens.”
Felisca, a 6-year-old girl in Madagascar, watches her mom travel for hours on foot to a nearby well to bring water home to her family. Her mom arrives home at the end of the day with a gallon of water for the family to share. As this water is poured into a cup for drinking, the water is visibly discoloured with particles floating on the surface. Felisca proceeds to drink the whole cup, knowing this might be the only water she will drink all day. However, this dirty water is the sole reason for the downfall of Felisca’ s health.
Water is a fundamental human right. It is the source of life for all living things. However, this basic human right is not easily attainable for more than one-third of the world( World Health Organisation). In many parts of the world, water, specifically clean water, is scarce. Without access to clean drinking water, detrimental health effects can occur. Through my experiences abroad, I have developed a passion to help address the inaccessibility of clean drinking water around the world.
I first discovered the detrimental issue of the lack of access to clean drinking water and sanitation while volunteering in Madagascar on an Operation Smile surgical programme. I spent two weeks there, and they were undoubtedly the best two weeks of my life. I fell in love with the kindness and passion of the volunteer team, the high and happy spirits that filled the hospital and patient village, the explosive smiles of the parents after watching their baby’ s smile transform, and most importantly, the love, openness and fun spirit of every patient. These kids had a spirit that felt like I had known them my entire life. They lined the entrance to the patient village waiting for our arrival and never left our sides for the entire day.
While playing with these kids, I noticed many of them were extremely malnourished and looked much younger than their chronological age. After performing research on the causes of stunted growth in children under the age of five, I found the main cause to be a general lack of sanitation and lack of access to clean drinking water. Driving around the island of Madagascar, I started to notice young kids filling water jugs with water from ponds covered in trash with visible discolouration. I noticed mothers walking barefoot carrying large jugs of water on their shoulders. And once again, I noticed small, malnourished children sitting on the streets. However, these dirty water sources and hour-long walks to get water were a regular occurrence for them. These kids do not know that the water they are drinking is the main reason for their constant stomach viruses, malnutrition and physical stunting. They are completely unaware that this should not be their norm.
The final moment that fuelled my passion and motivated me to address the lack of sanitation and clean water was when I looked across the street from our hotel on one of the first days of our trip. My eye was pulled to a man on the street who looked like he was kissing the ground. After looking a little closer, I noticed that this man was putting his mouth into a crack in the road to drink water that was contaminated with raw sewage. This image was shocking. Have I ever been so thirsty that I would resort to drinking sewer water on the streets?
No human should ever have to face this hardship. Water is a fundamental human right and should be available to all human beings, regardless of where they live. On my flight home from Madagascar, I knew I needed to address this issue.
I began to research the causes of dirty water immediately. I discovered that one of the main causes of water pollution in these underprivileged areas was open defecation, inadequate access to functioning sanitation systems, faulty storage of solid waste and improper wastewater disposal( USAID). Consequently, faecal contamination of groundwater results in the widespread infestation of cholera and other pathogens. Therefore, it can be concluded that the contaminated water and sanitation crises in these areas work hand-in-hand.
www. plumbingafrica. co. za @ plumbingonline @ plumbingonline @ PlumbingAfricaOnline November 2025 Volume 31 I Number 09