Clean Water Changes Everything

"The Brigade is always working with our communities to create a strategy to maintain the water because health and water are very connected. Without one there cannot be the other.”

There's nothing more essential than clean water. Access to safe water reduces illnesses and death from diseases, leading to improved health, poverty reduction, and socio-economic development. Put simply, clean water changes everything. Clean, safe water is scarce in rural Honduras, so providing access to it is critical, which is why our clean water projects are a significant cornerstone of our mission.

As you can imagine, planning and constructing a sustainable clean water project is no easy task. However, as difficult as it is to get the water flowing, keeping it running is far more challenging. Even the World Bank has noted that "where access (to potable water) exists, services have been characterized for decades by poor management, insufficient financing, and low levels of investment." Too frequently, beneficiaries are left with complex systems they can't maintain. What begins as a clean drinking water system quickly degrades into one that only provides contaminated water, or worse, one that does not function at all.

In the Montecillos mountains west of Comayagua, Honduras, we've led the planning and construction of drinking water systems for 12 communities – but the work hasn't stopped there. We make sure that the water quality is regularly monitored, offer technical assistance and instruction for community water boards, and provide community education to ensure clean water continues to flow into these communities.

While we look forward to expanding access to clean water in more communities, we are mindful of the commitments we’ve made to the communities we’ve partnered with so far. The assistance we provide in those communities is critical to the continued operation of their vital water systems. Without adequate monitoring and technical assistance, rural water systems survive for less than five years. With sustained support, the families who depend on the systems we've put in place will have continued access to clean, fresh water for decades to come.