As many of you know, I am crazy for clean, safe water for all and work toward that end both in my J.O.B. and in my volunteer life. So I am sharing the post I made for the Global Water Alliance today with some water facts for you to ponder as you carve your turkey and relax with family and friends today. If you are one of the people that enjoys unfettered access to clean water, say a little prayer of thanks for your luxury and another one that all people will one day share your bounty. I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving filled with family and friends, good food, a solid roof over your head, plenty of laughter, and clean water for all. pl — 11.25.21
Happy Thanksgiving! Here at GWA we have much to be thankful for, but most of all we are grateful for the gift of clean water! GWA envisions a world where all people have access to safe drinking water and sanitation. The UN and WHO estimate that around the world, over 785 million people don’t have access to basic water services while more than 884 million people don’t have safe drinking water.
The good news is that since 2000, drinking water services improved from 61% to 71%, and sanitation services increased from 28% to 45%.
But there is still much work to be done. The WHO estimates that during Covid, three out of every ten people couldn’t wash their hands in their own homes due to lack of access to clean water.
We’re not on the straightaway yet, but we are making progress with projects like Panyebar in Guatemala and our arsenic removal work in West Bengal, India.
While most of us in developed countries have access to clean water, there is this little problem of a crumbling infrastructure that needs a great deal of attention here in the U.S., a problem that has been called “a ticking time bomb” by the former EPA Administrator, Carol Browner. Without a much needed investment in infrastructure, parts of the U.S. could find itself looking much like a developing country when it comes to water access. President Biden’s Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act will pump approximately 82 billion into the water sector, improving infrastructure and sustainability. What a great way to start a massively daunting project!
This year, Global Water Alliance is expanding its reach, funding additional projects both in the U.S. and abroad, supporting students in our affiliated universities at the World Water Forum in Dakar, and committing to more education via conferences and webinars while expanding our networking capabilities to increase our reach.
Become a member of Global Water Alliance today where you will collaborate with our partners in the field, such as Engineers Without Borders, in bringing the gift of clean water to a family or community, help us to educate the up-and-coming groups of students and future water leaders who will ultimately take the baton on behalf of clean, safe water, and to finally eradicate the lack of access to WASH, water, sanitation and hygiene, for all people across the globe, all of which cannot be done without a united, consolidated effort.
Clean water is a right, not a privilege. Let’s all exercise our rights.
I’ll leave you with this final word from from GWA President, Christiaan Morssink.
Pam Lazos is an environmental lawyer with a passion for assuring access to clean water for all, a blogger, author of the novel Oil and Water, about oil spills and green technology, and the VP for Communications at Global Water Alliance. She practices laughter daily.
Green Life Blue Water 
It was a golden age for Toyota, LOL
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Mine is a 1998 Toyota Corolla
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Yeah, I don’t think they get the same longevity out of them now. 🙄
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😂😂😂
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Hey Pam!
Yes, lets indeed be thankful!
I caught myself today fussing over the state of my (23-year-old) car and then stopped myself and tried to have a more grateful mindset.
Nice to see your new bio – you do great work!
James
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Aw, thanks, James! And I hope the car keeps running and running. One of my kids is still driving my mother’s 1997 Toyota Camry. 😂
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Oops, sorry! I have already found your post behind some others in my mailbox! How is it happened? I have no idea, but now thank goodness I found it 😄 and enjoyed reading like always. Thank you, dearest Pam. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving 👍 🤗😇🥰
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I hope you did as well, Aladin. xo
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Oh, it does work! 😉🤪🤗❤
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yes!!
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Pam:
Hope all is well! Thanks for being so dedicated to Green Life Blue Water over the years!
Bill Diskin
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Thanks, Bill! Nice to hear from you. Hope you and the family are well. xo
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I noted your comment on the infrastructure in the US – it is the same here in the UK! Scandalous ignoring of keeping vital services up to date and working properly, while they, our governments, do deals and get involved in wars… Thanks for this blogpost!
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Right, Mari. If the U.S. would have stayed out of Iraq or Afghanistan it could have been fixed by now! Reminds me of the old joke about funding education and letting the army have a bake sale to support its budget. Our priorities are backwards.
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@ Pam – water is just us isn’t it – and absolutely essential to us all – for living conditions … keeping ourselves healthy let alone our life around us. Your work in this field is brilliant – enlightening the world … and making sure we remember so many need access. Excellent #WATWB … all the best and keep up the good work – Hilary
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Aww, Hilary, thanks for the pep talk!!😍🙌♥️
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Pam, thanks for the work you and Global Water Alliance are doing to assure clean water access to everyone worldwide. A Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones!
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Thanks 🙏 and you, too, Ros!
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