Water and sanitation programs are some of the most foundational and effective programs supported by USAID, but they have left some of the poorest people behind.
A new bill, the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2013, has just been introduced in the House. It will require USAID to do better for the world’s poorest people.
Tell your Representative that his or her support for the Water for the World Act can save lives and create opportunities for millions.
Clean water is essential for life, but 11% of the world's population does not have access to it. This, and lack of safe sanitation and good hygiene practices, result in 700,000 children dying from water-related diseases every year.
Water for the World will make existing US investments in safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene smarter, more efficient, and more beneficial for health, poverty-reduction, and educational success - all without spending any new money. Tell your Representative to support Water for the World.
Dear [Member of Congress],
I am writing to urge you to support the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2013, H.R. 2901.
Water, sanitation and hygiene programs are some of the most foundational international programs supported by USAID. They are also some of the most effective, when they are done right. But, since 2005 when the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act was signed into law, US Government-supported safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programs have left some of the poorest people behind. Limited funds allocated to WASH are nearly as precious as water itself - and they must be used wisely.
Water for the World requires USAID to direct WASH support to the countries and communities who need it most - those that have the lowest levels of access to safe drinking water and sanitation, the highest levels of water-related diseases like diarrhea and trachoma, and the longest time burdens for collecting water rather than going to school or work.
The bill instructs USAID to improve its transparency so we can all understand why they choose to invest in each country and see the results for ourselves. It focuses on ways to make water and sanitation services last, and emphasizes involvement of local communities and organizations so the leadership is local, not centered in Washington, DC.
[Your comments here]
You have the chance to change lives without spending any new money by supporting the bipartisan Water for the World Act. Please support this legislation. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
[Your name here]
