Utah Working for WASH
Briefing Prepared for ______
Improving Access to Clean Water Is at the Top of Americans’ Global Health Priorities
People in the state of Utah are leading the effort to solve the global water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) challenge. There are numerous faith-based, civic, and academic WASH initiatives underway throughout the state. The top programs in the state include:
a) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints members Lincoln and Marilyn Barlow built 16 school latrines, installed 15 rainwater-collection tanks, created 60 clear water springs, and 25 additional latrines in Uganda.
b) Choice Humanitarian engaged in a number of projects around the world that have focused on providing wells, latrines, and hygiene education.
c) The Logan Rotary Club hosts the annual Bicycle Ride Around the Wellsvilles (RAW) event that funds projects that provide safe water and sanitation facilities to communities in Peru.
d) The University of Utah partnered with Mehran University of Engineering and Technology and USAID to bring safe drinking water to communities in Pakistan.
Other notable efforts include:
Rotary Clubs in Utah
· Rotary Club of Ogden
o Partnered with the Rotary Club of Calcutta in India to distribute around 1,000 LifeStraws to the poorest districts of Calcutta
· Rotary Club of Millcreek
o Contributed $3,000 to a $39,500 grant that will support the installation of a clean water system in Guatemala
o Funded a project that trains community members to operate, repair, and maintain water systems and promotes hygiene, safe water usage, conservation, and a fee-based system for sustainability
· Rotary Club of St. George
o Partnered with nonprofits to develop sustainable stoves and deliver safe water in Guatemala
o Hosted a silent and live auction whose proceeds funded projects that provide clean water systems in rural communities and promote Rotary International’s Polio Plus progran
Faith-Based Organizations in Utah
· Capital Church, Salt Lake City
o Conducts annual mission trips to Swaziland to assist in providing children with medical, physical, educational, emotional, and spiritual needs
o Raised funds to provide toilets and water wells in rural Swaziland
· The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Salt Lake City
o Supports the implementation of safe water through their Latter-Day Saints Charity organization
Schools & Universities in Utah
· Brigham Young University, Provo,
o Students in the Engineers Without Borders Chapter traveled to Peru to build a water filter
o Engineering students developed a human-powered drill that provides safe water to developing countries
o Engineering students built a water purification system that is cheaper and simpler than existing models and can pump out 500 galloons of water each day
· University of Utah, Salt Lake City
o Students in the Engineers Without Borders Chapter are currently working on a project in Cameroon to provide Spring Boxes that will supply safe water to rural communities
· Utah State University, Logan
o Students in the Engineers Without Borders Chapter traveled to Peru to install a water distribution system that supplies safe water to communities
o Engineering students traveled to Mexico in 2014 to install biosand filters that supply potable water to communities and educated communities on proper filter use and maintenance
o Hosted a 5K in to raise funds for their trips to Mexico and Peru
o Raised funds for Living Water International to provide safe drinking water to developing countries
· Springville Junior High School, Springville
o Raising $2,200 to implement a full WASH project at a primary school in Nigeria
WASH-Focused Organizations and Businesses in Utah
· People Water, Salt Lake City
o Helps alleviate the global water crisis and completed projects in Haiti, Ghana, India, and Nicaragua that include installing and repairing hand pumps and drilling wells
· Choice Humanitarian, West Jordan
o Works in Guatemala, Nepal, Mexico, Kenya, and Bolivia to help communities become self-reliant, promote gender equality, provide safe drinking water, education, health care, and economic opportunity
o Past projects have provided safe water and latrines in Guatemala, a water system in Mexico, and water and sanitation systems in Kenya and Bolivia
For more information, please contact John Oldfield at WASH Advocates:
202.293.4049 Updated: December 2015