Water and Sanitation

Adequate water and sanitation (WATSAN) facilities are among the vital services that we try to address from the earliest stages of camp development.

The early provision of safe drinking water and proper sanitation is crucial in preventing illnesses and epidemics directly linked to poor sanitation, such as diarrheal diseases and cholera. At early stages of camp establishment, until a proper water supply system is installed, water trucking is provided in camps. The correlation between the two services is important and hence the availability of sufficient latrines will have an effect on refugee population health and well-being. Ensuring sufficient water that is safe to drink and easily accessible as well as providing storage and collection of containers form a part of this WATSAN component.
RRS, as a camp management agency, together with NGO partners ensures the existence of safe excreta disposal through the construction of family and public toilets and safe, solid waste disposal pits. Equally important is the systematic and effective hygiene promotion element of the WATSAN service which complements the hardware component. Making camp residents aware of how diseases are transmitted and how they can be avoided is therefore crucial.