32 Water for Life
Safe water transport
Transporting water from its source to where people need it is hard work. Care
must be taken to keep water uncontaminated while it is being transported.
Carrying water is hard work
Carrying water is some of the hardest work done in any community — and it is often
done by women and girls. Carrying heavy loads of water on the back or with a head
strap can lead to frequent headaches, backache, malformation of the spine, and can
cause a pregnant woman to lose her baby due to strain.
Water improvement projects reduce this burden. Sometimes simple changes can
make water carrying easier, water systems can be built to eliminate the need to carry
water long distances, or homes can be built closer to the water source. Encouraging
men to share this important work will help improve community health.
Piped water
There are many advantages to a piped water system. Piped water reduces the risk
of contamination and reduces living places for snails and mosquitoes. A piped water
system must be planned carefully, with an understanding of how much water is needed
and available, and how much water may be needed in the future as the community
grows.
Water can be piped from almost any water source, but springs and reservoirs are
most common. The least costly source is one that is uphill from the community, so
that gravity will carry the water downhill.
Most piped water systems bring the water to
a large storage tank. The tank may be treated
with chlorine or have a filter attached to treat
the water. Water is piped from the storage
tank to tap stands in people’s houses or to
public water collection points around the
community.
A piped water system needs regular
maintenance. Keeping records of
where pipes are laid can prevent
accidents and make it easier to find
and repair broken pipes. Leaking
pipes can waste a lot of water
and draw in sewage and other
contamination from the soil.
If pipes have been fixed with
jute, hemp, cotton or leather,
germs may grow on these
things and contaminate
the water in the pipes.
An important part of any piped water system is to ensure
that someone is responsible for fixing damage to the pipes.