(MissionNewswire) Water projects funded by a donor through Salesian Missions, the U.S development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, are providing two villages in India access to clean water through its “Clean Water Initiative.” The Marathwada region in the state of Maharashtra often suffers from drought-like conditions leaving villagers without water for cooking, drinking and proper sanitation. The newly funded projects will help to desilt wells and canals, repair or replace new water piping, and install new water tanks.

In the village of Kolhewadi in the Ahmednagar district, funding helped pay for digging a new bore well, 20 feet of casing pipe, and the installation of a submersible pump of one and half HP for the bore well, which includes HDPE pipes, panel boards and a service cable up to the connection point. The project also entailed the installation of a new water tank that holds 5,000 liters of water, and new fencing and plumbing for the water tanks.

In Pimpalgaon Ghat in the Beed district, the project entailed 1,500 meters of new pipe lines as well as fixing current piping, and the installation of a submersible pump of one and half HP for the bore well, which includes HDPE pipes, panel boards and a service cable up to the connection point. This project also funded a new drinking water tank for the residents of the village.

“The construction of these two water projects will greatly impact residents of these villages and provide them better access to clean, safe drinking water and water for cooking,” says Father Mark Hyde, executive director of Salesian Missions. “Having access to clean, safe water brings a sense of dignity to people and also reduces the number of water borne illnesses that people are susceptible to without it.”

With more than 1.2 billion people, India’s growing population is putting a severe strain on the country’s natural resources. According to Water.org, close to 77 million people do not have access to safe, clean water and 769 million have no sanitation services. Most water sources throughout the country are contaminated by sewage and agricultural runoff.

While India has made some progress in the supply of safe water, there remain gross disparities in safe water access across the country. The World Bank estimates that 21 percent of communicable diseases in India are related to unsafe water with diarrhea alone causing more than 1,600 deaths daily. Access to proper sanitation is extremely poor, particularly in rural areas where only 14 percent of the population has access to a latrine. In addition, hand washing is not commonplace and leads to an increase in the spread of disease.

Salesian missionaries across India are dedicated to ensuring that access to safe water is a priority in Salesian-run programs and schools and in the communities in which they operate.

“Water is vital for life,” adds Fr. Hyde. “Salesian Missions has made building wells and other projects that supply fresh, clean water a top priority for every community in every country in which Salesian missionaries work.”

India is home to 25 percent of the world’s poor and more than 30 percent of the country’s population lives in poverty, according to the World Bank. With the largest number of child laborers in the world, India has made significant progress the past eight years reducing the number of out-of-school children from 25 million to 8 million. However, an estimated 11 million children live on the streets facing the daily horrors of rampant exploitation, forced labor, widespread substance abuse and physical violence. Many poor youth see little opportunity or hope for a better life.

The project was one of several highlighted on the Salesian Missions website that needed funding. To see the full list, go to SalesianMissions.org/projects.

To give to the Clean Water Initiative, go to SalesianMissions.org/water.

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Sources:

Salesian Missions – Clean Water Initiative

Water.org – India

World Bank – India