For this month's CONNECTION:
- Learn more about our approach to providing sustainable safe water
- Watch a video about Living Water's water quality testing process
At Living Water, we’re committed to building thriving communities – spiritually, physically, and socially through holistic WASH (water access, sanitation, and hygiene) services in partnership with church communities around the world.
How do we ensure the work we do is sustainable?
One way we accomplish long-term safe water access is through a series of tests to determine if the systems’ water is free from contamination and safe for our global neighbors to use for all their daily needs. Through this process, community members can be confident knowing that the water they drink will not make them sick.
Our in-country staff undergoes rigorous training and certification to evaluate water quality. Our field staff gather to learn about the microbiological and physiochemical contaminants often found in unsafe water sources and how they are identified. Then, the staff studies how to treat the water to ensure it is free of viruses, dangerous levels of bacteria, and worms—but they don’t stop there.
Though the World Health Organization outlines quality standards for safe drinking water, Living Water’s quality criteria are even more robust. Tests are conducted at the source by performing disinfection and water testing after completion, maintenance, or repairs of the water systems. Thorough monitoring and evaluation of each water point continue for five years to confirm the systems are operational and safe and examine the impact and quality of our WASH programs in each community.
By including more measures in our quality testing, we ensure that residents receive water that will improve their health for years to come!
