What Types of Water Organizations Are There?

There are many types of water organizations. Some of them aim to give access to water, while others emphasize sanitation, which is closely linked to clean water. Each organization is part of a much-needed global effort to provide and maintain access to sufficient safe water for the world’s population.

The World Economic Forum in 2019 called the water crisis one of the largest global risks over the next decade.¹ In 2017, the World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund reported that 2.9 billion people do not have access to a safely managed source of water.² And it’s not purely a socioeconomic issue. Large portions of the western United States face water scarcity, evidence that factors beyond wealth and country of origin contribute to water access.

Organizations that focus on sanitation include the UN, UNICEF and the WHO. Without an understanding and plan for proper sanitation, potential water sources could be jeopardized. Still other organizations focus on education, like the Water Education Foundation, World Water Council and the Global Water Partnership.

Some organizations focus in on a more micro level of service to those at greatest risk of the effects of unsafe water. These groups are on the ground level providing immediate solutions, such as wells and water filters.

GFA World, for example, has drilled more than 30,000 wells in areas most desperate for a sustainable water solution. They call them Jesus Wells. These wells are established in areas where there is a congregation led by a GFA pastor so that the believers can commit to caring for and maintaining the well. With proper maintenance, a Jesus Well can support approximately 300 people for up to 20 years. In areas where reliable water is scarce or doesn’t exist at all, a Jesus Well is a transforming gift to a village.

Water filters are also a solution that helps break the cycle of diseases that often plague rural villages. Forced to use surface water from streams, ponds or lakes, people ingest microbes and pollutants that easily settle in these water sources. Many families face ongoing health issues, such as fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and headaches because of the unclean water they drink.

To help address this issue, GFA World provides BioSand water filters. Standing only a few feet high, the filter purifes water through several layers of sediment. Simply pour the water through the top and each layer removes contaminants, reaching 98% purity by the end of the process. No electricity is required and one BioSand Water Filter can last up to 20 years with proper maintenance.