Share the Joy of Access to Water

By Rebecca West
President of the Water Environment Federation

Hello WEF members and other waterbloggers! I just got back from a trip to Kenya (traveling for personal business, not as a WEF representative), where every day was a reminder that although access to water is an absolute necessity, it’s not a given in many places. For example, due to the lack of or intermittent rainfall, many people and communities had to locate the closest available water and go get it for daily living. In fact, this picture
shows villagers pulling water from a neighboring rainwater collection tank to provide access to water in their area.

I’d go even further and say access to water is a right to which every person on this planet is entitled. And we as water quality professionals understand the challenges to providing clean water worldwide complicated by factors like population growth and climate change. At the Water Environment Federation, we embrace a technical commitment to clean water, and it can be put to good use through special partnerships that offer WEF members opportunities to apply their expertise in ways that make a difference. Engineers Without Borders and Water for People, a WEF charity of choice, are just two organizations of many that would put your own time or financial contributions to further ensure people across our blue planet can gain access to water and sanitation.

So this holiday season, I ask you to support an organization that works to provide global access to water and sanitation and share the joy of access to water and protection of their health through access to sanitation with those less fortunate. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the abundance we have and underscore the importance of extending this very basic right to those less fortunate. Meanwhile, thanks for all you do to protect public health and the environment every day and very best wishes for peace and happiness in the coming year.