The Poisoning of Bangladesh: How Arsenic Is Ravaging a Nation

The Network of Water Rights Initiative (NWRI) works with local organizations to improve access to safe water through education and awareness campaigns aimed at enlightening people about the health risks of contaminated water. NWRI has led water clean-up efforts, helped locals establish security measures to prevent people from dumping waste in water and even helped get a water bill signed into law that would improve water supply and sanitation services across the state.

Ohio’s drinking water has tested positive for PFAS chemicals, so state officials are looking at what has worked in other states to fund the process of restoring a clean drinking water supply. In Michigan, this looks like a multi-agency approach that supports bipartisan buy-in, while Minnesota saw success by holding the state’s largest manufacturer accountable for the contamination and clean-up.

Across the world, 1.8 billion people have to make a daily decision between either drinking unsafe water or paying exorbitant prices for bottled water. I-Drop Water, a company that has devised purification systems that can be installed at affordable rates in local grocery stores, is working to solve this problem by bringing accessible purified water to people throughout Africa.

Members of a water-insecure community mobilized to contribute a portion of their monthly stipends to repair and maintain the singular borehole providing water to the village. The community members — primarily women — also installed water taps throughout the community in locations like schools and mosques to ensure easy access to clean, safe drinking water.

To combat health and sanitary issues arising from high rates of open defecation and a lack of government support, community members worked together to fund and build 14 easily accessible toilets that are cleaned daily and open for anyone to use.

Baghdad resident Murtadha Al-Tameemi started organizing weekly clean ups at the banks of the Tigris river earlier this year, but it soon became a grassroots movement called Clean Iraq and encouraged residents to organize similar events across the country. In a place long-affected by war, it serves not just as an important effort and opportunity to save the river but to rebuild peace, cooperation, and a sense of normalcy.

A community-based water testing and lead-education pilot program aimed to rebuild confidence and trust among Flint residents, who are skeptical of state-affiliated testing. Trained students collected water samples that were tested by University of Michigan labs. Educational materials provided with results included how to install, maintain, and use filters. While most samples didn't show issues, households with dangerous lead levels were given bottled water, filters, and other services. Once the pilot ended, the Mckenzie Patrice-Croom Water Lab secured funding to continue free community-based water testing.

A group of women volunteers, known as the Mahila Mandal, from Sudher in India are fighting against the dumping of garbage in their village and the pollution and potential negative health effects that come with it. Despite daily household and farm work, the group has been pressuring authorities through demonstrations and protests to clean up the solid waste dumping site.

Chicago has thousands of miles of lead pipes supplying water to homes and business, and they all need to be replaced because of the risk of contaminating drinking water. Although this task is difficult, three other cities in the nation have projects underway that are providing a model for Chicago to consider.

When large-scale hog farms began moving into rural Iowa, many local families were forced to start making decisions about their ways of life, especially concerning their own farms and health. To fight back, the community gathered together to create a covenant. Although small in scale, other communities in the state have reached out in hopes of following their so-far successful approach.