The Need

While the Cuban people today are vibrant and hopeful for the future, they still lack many of the things we take for granted. The most fundamental of these is clean water.

Cholera and other water-borne diseases are a significant problem throughout Cuba. Even in Havana, water must be boiled to insure that it is free of pathogens. In rural areas the problems are much worse.

The problems are not limited to bacteria. Kidney and liver problems are linked to sediment in the water. In many rural communities the water systems not only leak, but are routinely shut down, allowing contaminants to enter the water system.

Because of the uncertainty of the water supply, underground cisterns are commonly used to store water for periods when it is not otherwise available. Ground water and associated contaminants can be introduced during periods of heavy rain.

Roof-top water tanks are also frequently used for local storage of water. Open vent pipes allow the introduction of more contaminants, and the hot Cuban sun encourages the incubation of water-borne diseases.

Providing the Cuban people with clean water is the most important thing we can do, because without clean water, nothing else matters.