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UTILITY WEEK | 13Th - 19Th March 2015 | 29 Community Market view I n the UK we grumble about the frequent downpours from grey skies. Our school geography classes taught us that 70 per cent of the Earth is covered in water, and in our evening news we oen hear about floods here and abroad. With all this excess H20, it is difficult to imagine that 748 million people do not have access to safe, clean drinking water. But, ironically, it is this surplus that can be detri- mental to human water supply systems. In many of the countries where WaterAid works, climate variations oen cause flood- ing, with devastating consequences. Poor communities are oen vulnerable to floods, so they need sustainable and resilient water, sanitation and hygiene services, which we help build. The recent floods in Malawi reminded us how catastrophic flooding can be for poor communities. Almost a quarter of a million people have been displaced, more than 100 died and many more were injured. Bore- holes, shallow wells and tap points were flooded and contaminated, and in some dis- tricts most of the water pipes were washed away. Communities needed immediate aid in the form of shelter, food and safe water, but disease prevention also became a concern since human waste and dead animals in floodwaters contaminated drinking water sources. To survive and then recover from such disasters, communities need strong water and sanitation infrastructure. WaterAid has been working in Malawi since 2000, helping to address the serious lack of facilities – 90 per cent of people in the country do not have a safe place to go to the toilet. In the past few months we have helped communities to construct water points and toilets, ensuring facilities meet the needs of women and girls and people with dis- abilities, and that key hygiene messages are spread. In the long term, we will help reha- bilitate community and school water infra- structures and school sanitation facilities. Disasters are likely to become more com- mon as climatic changes make extreme weather events more frequent. However, sim- ply responding to disasters is not enough. The deeper systemic issues, which extreme weather events exaggerate, need to be addressed. At WaterAid, we work hard to ensure services reach the most vulnerable people, and that we do not just provide short-term solutions. We help communities to monitor threats to their water, sanitation and hygiene services, and enable them to better manage their water and sanitation systems. Lagos, the largest city in Sub-Saharan Africa and fih largest in the world, is home to 21 million people. Two-thirds of residents live in unplanned settlements. Not only is the water supply largely broken, and sanitation grossly inadequate, but residents are also at serious risk of flooding from storm surges and heavy rainfall, with little drainage infra- structure to help. Just a one metre rise in sea level would flood more than half the city. We have been working with Lagos authorities, utility providers and UK archi- tects Sheppard Robson and AECOM to influ- ence how water and sanitation services are planned there and in three other Afri- can mega-cities – Kinshasa in Democratic Republic of Congo, Maputo in Mozambique and Lusaka in Zambia. We have focused on the poorest people and those most vulnerable to weather and climatic events, and are working with author- ities and large donors to ensure communities and facilities are resilient and their specific needs addressed. In Lagos, for example, we have considered the special needs of "float- ing settlements", looking at providing com- munal blocks and barges to remove waste . Providing sustainable solutions to com- munities prone to disasters such as flood- ing is at the heart of what we do. We know that unless poor people have sustainable services, resilient to disasters, and have the knowledge and tools to practise good hygiene behaviours, we will not achieve our ambition: universal and lasting access to water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030. Remi Kaupp, programme officer - Programme Support Unit, WaterAid Water, water everywhere… Raising awareness of the ramifications of flooding for poor communities in the developing world, Remi Kaupp gives insight into WaterAid's work in Malawi. World Water Day, 22 March Visit wateraid.org/uk/worldwaterday to add your name to our pledge and help us realise our vision of a world where everyone has access to clean water and sanitation by 2030. Utility Week and WaterAid For 33 years the UK water sector has sup- ported the work of WaterAid around the world, helping to improve the lives of millions through improving their access to water and sanitation. Faversham House, publisher of Utility Week, is a long-time supporter of WaterAid, and has raised £40,000 for the charity since 2005. We will be bringing readers regular updates and insights into WaterAid's work. WaterAid is active in Africa's mega-cities, such as Kinshasa in Democratic Republic of Congo, Maputo in Mozambique and Lusaka in Zambia (pictured above)