Why Water?
Because water heals. Without clean water & sanitation, families can’t thrive—safe housing alone isn’t enough.
Around 2.1 billion people globally lack safely-managed drinking water, and 3.4 billion lack safely-managed sanitation.
Without proper water & sanitation, families face disease, instability, and limited opportunity. By recognizing water & sanitation as a basic need alongside housing, we move closer to breaking the cycle of poverty and building healthier, stronger communities.
Why it Matters
Because without water & sanitation:
01
Families face higher rates of disease.
02
Children miss school due to preventable illness.
03
Older adults and people with disabilities are often forced into unsafe or humiliating situations just to meet basic needs.
04
Inadequate waste disposal promotes the spread of bacteria and other germs through contaminated soil, food, water, and insects like flies.
05
Common waterborne diseases include cholera, typhoid, diarrhea, amoebiasis, hepatitis A and E, and polio infections can occur.
06
Girls often miss school or drop out entirely due to the lack of safe, private facilities to manage their periods.
07
Women and girls are forced to bathe in unsafe or public spaces, increasing vulnerability to harassment or assault.
08
It increases the risk of infections and complications for pregnant women and new mothers.
09
Women are often responsible for caring for sick family members, which becomes even more difficult without clean water for bathing, cooking, and cleaning.
10
Time spent collecting water or managing sanitation needs reduces opportunities for paid work, entrepreneurship, or education.
How We Respond
With every home we build, we ensure families have access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation. A house without water is incomplete—safe housing must also support health and daily living. By combining shelter with clean water and sanitation, we create healthier, more stable communities where families can truly thrive.
At Shelter Equity, we build and renovate housing with water and sanitation at the core. That means:
We Match the Need
Install community-appropriate, accessible bathrooms in every unit.
We Provide Clean Water Access
Ensure clean water access in or near every home we build.
We Create Partnerships
Partner with local utilities and health organizations to maintain long-term water safety.
We don’t just build homes — we listen to communities, understand their needs, and create environments where people can live safely, care for themselves, and thrive.
Moving Forward
Water and sanitation are not optional. They are a human right, and a cornerstone of any truly equitable housing solution.
When WASH (water, accessibility, sanitation, hygiene) is implemented, everything begins to change. Children stop missing school because they’re no longer sick from contaminated water. Women no longer walk for hours each day to collect water, freeing time for education, work, and rest. Girls can manage their periods safely and privately, without fear or shame. Older adults and people with disabilities gain access to facilities that allow them to care for themselves with comfort and safety. Entire communities become healthier, more stable, and more hopeful.
