Bringing water and sanitation

People need access to clean, safe water – it is one of life’s essentials. Unfortunately, poor water, sanitation and hygiene – known as WASH in humanitarian aid circles – cause about 1.7 million deaths across the world every year. In addition, more than 3 000 children die every day from water-borne diseases. Disruptions to water supplies and sanitation services during a crisis only increase threats to human health.

The EU is one of the largest humanitarian donors in providing WASH assistance with over €100 million spent in 2015. Overall EU's humanitarian funding in this field has increased 30 fold over the past decade.WASH related issues are often dealt with in projects alongside food and shelter requirements.

A key objective is to get water and equipment on site as soon as possible. The EU has contributed to maintaining a number of regional warehouses (in Panama, Italy, Dubai, Ghana and Malaysia) where water stocks are immediately available for future emergencies. Moreover, rapid response teams can be deployed within 72 hours of a crisis to asses, manage and coordinate WASH requirements. The EU also helps in the deployment of sophisticated equipment, such as water pumps and purification systems, to replace damaged sanitation infrastructure.