U.S. Congress works to increase support for global safe drinking water, sanitation crisis
WASHINGTON, DC, July 23, 2007 -- Senate and House appropriators from both parties are recommending a significant increase in funding for safe drinking water to implement the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act. If the final bill passes as currently drafted by the U.S. Senate, $300 million would be appropriated to implement the Act for the coming year. Water Advocates commends the leadership of Senators Leahy, Durbin, McConnell, and Brownback and Representatives Obey, Lowey, Jackson Jr., Knollenberg, Payne, and Smith. "The U.S. government can have a tremendous positive impact on the global safe drinking water and sanitation problem. What we need now is for Americans to write their Representatives and Senators to ask them to pass the Senate version and fund the Water for the Poor Act for 2008," said John Oldfield, director of partnership development at Water Advocates.
Water Advocates Urges More U.S. Action in New Ad
Building on the leadership of the U.S. Congress, Water Advocates is urging increased U.S. private sector action to tackle the global safe drinking water and sanitation challenge. Water Advocates will release its latest annual full-page advertisement today with the message, "Support, Sponsor, Solve." The devastating effects of the water and sanitation crisis are still widely unknown by most Americans. They kill up to five million people per year and sicken billions, a toll even larger than HIV/AIDS and malaria. Unsafe drinking water and inadequate sanitation impede progress in public health, education, environmental sustainability and commerce, especially in less developed regions of Africa and Asia.
"Countries and communities without safe drinking water and sanitation are stuck back in the 1800s, a dangerous time when waterborne diseases unnecessarily killed our great-great grandparents," continued John Oldfield. "We've guaranteed safe drinking water and sanitation for ourselves, and we've known for a long time how to solve these problems. We can and we should do more to stop this preventable death and disease."
New Opportunities for Foundations, Corporations, Citizens
Water Advocates continues to offer pro bono consulting advice to leaders of corporations, foundations, and civic and faith-based organizations that are looking to increase their support for the global water and sanitation problem. Water Advocates also designs partnerships and brokers relationships between government, foundations, non-profit organizations and corporations. Groups such as the Water and Sanitation Rotarian Action Group, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Global Water Challenge -- a United Nations Foundation initiative -- have worked with Water Advocates and are stepping up activities.
Water Advocates is a US-based nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing American support for worldwide access to safe, affordable, and sustainable drinking water and adequate sanitation.
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