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Water & Sanitation

Water Pump

Clean drinking water, effective sanitation and the promotion of hygiene are the foundations of human health. Without them, recovery from disaster followed by sustainable development is not possible.

RedR has been recognised by the United Nations as a leading agency in the area of water, sanitation and hygiene promotion. In the event of an emergency, RedR is responsible for selecting and training the water engineers responding to the disaster. Having trained and experienced engineers making the decisions in the very early stages of an emergency means that water and aid workers can be directed to saving people’s lives, and relief money is used to its greatest benefit.

RedR has 27 years’ experience of placing engineers and providing training in emergency situations. We pass on this experience through our year-round UK training programme.

“Excavated earth from drainage ditches was causing water to pool in the tents. One woman who has lost all her family members in the earthquake had been up all night bailing water out of her tent and was, not surprisingly, at her wits’ end. In the end, the difference between applying effective aid, and not, is a few points of common sense applied at the right time.” Mark Buttle, an engineer with Arup and long-standing RedR member who went to Pakistan as a trainer and winterisation specialist

UK training

Environmental Health and Sanitation in Emergencies
Water Supply, Distribution and Treatment in Emergencies
Water Sources in Emergencies