Chlorine Distribution
The Problem: Polluted Water in Haiti
Dirty water spreads disease. Since October 2010, over 5,000 Haitians have died of cholera – a preventable illness virtually non-existent in the United States. And every year, one-in-eight children in Haiti – nearly 150,000 – die of this and other waterborne illnesses like typhoid, hepatitis and chronic diarrhea. These deaths could be prevented by simply providing clean water. Despite this, water sanitation doesn’t exist in Haiti. Read more about the health crisis in Haiti.
Our Solution: Chlorinating Haiti
International Action’s Campaign for Clean Water programs provide chlorinators, water tanks, and chlorinated water to communities in need. Our chlorinators use chlorine tablets that can disinfect up to 25,000 gallons of water for days. Unlike gas and liquid chlorine, our chlorine tablets are stable enough to store in harsh conditions and safe enough to be handled by amateurs. They’re so safe, we entrust the reloading of our chlorine tablets, after providing instruction, to community water boards and organization leaders.
We also provide test kits with color-coded guides to measure the chlorine content regularly. These test packets ensure chlorine levels in our water – after chlorination and prior to distribution – are appropriate for human consumption and provide continual elimination of harmful bacteria.
In addition to chlorine tablets, International Action has enough granular chlorine in our Port-au-Prince warehouse to provide disinfected water to every Haitian for six to nine months. We donate this chlorine to churches, missions, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Haiti to combat water pollution and prevent disease.
We are pursuing partnerships with UNICEF, UN Development Program (UNDP), and DINEPA (National Directorate for Water Supply and Sanitation) and continue to offer chlorinators and chlorine tablets free-of-charge to the UNICEF Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Cluster and Education Cluster groups, Clinton Global Initiative partners, and any organization working to create a healthy Haiti. If you would like granular chlorine for your community, our office in Delmas, Port-au-Prince will happily provide it, along with brief training regarding how to use the chlorine safely and effectively.
Need chlorine? Complete our Chlorine Request Form.