Combined with snow, ice, freshwater lakes, running streams, rivers and ground water, Bhutan has one of the highest per capita availability of water in the world. With an average flow of 2,238 m3/s, Bhutan generates 70,572 million cubic meters per annum, i.e. 94,500 m3 per person per year, the highest in the region.
And yet, Bhutan suffers, what I call, “the problem of plenty”. Most of our waters are at the bottom of ravines and gorges, while our settlements are on hilltops and plateaus. Plentiful water is most often inaccessible to us.
Even worst, over the past few decades, we have been choking our life giving rivers with hydro-power dams that churn out debts amounting to hundreds of billions, at 10% interest. Over time, I fear that our water resources may no longer remain under our control.
But there seems to be a greater water borne threat that we seem to ignore - drinking water that we supply to our school children. How many of the water supplies in our schools are really safe for our children to drink?
With generous financial support committed by Disaster Aid Australia
(DAA), the Rotary Club of Thimphu has begun the arduous journey of
reaching safe drinking water to every school in Bhutan. The DAA has
committed Australian Dollars one million by the end of 2020 – to achieve
that goal.
Is the RGoB willing to commit 1% of that commitment made by the Australian NGO - to realize that goal? There is a need to go beyond the talk!
Since we started to install SkyHydrant water filters in schools, the Rotary Club of Thimphu has carried out some tests - to determine the quality of water that are being consumed by our school children. The following are the test results derived from one beneficiary school and other water sources in the vicinity of the installation. Look at the following results. The test was carried out early last month by the Health Assistant of the BHU in the vicinity of the school.
Is the RGoB willing to commit 1% of that commitment made by the Australian NGO - to realize that goal? There is a need to go beyond the talk!
Since we started to install SkyHydrant water filters in schools, the Rotary Club of Thimphu has carried out some tests - to determine the quality of water that are being consumed by our school children. The following are the test results derived from one beneficiary school and other water sources in the vicinity of the installation. Look at the following results. The test was carried out early last month by the Health Assistant of the BHU in the vicinity of the school.
Sample drawn from the drain close to the school - totally infested with bacteria
Test result of one village close to the school. High level of E.Coli content - unfit for drinking unless treated
Test result of another village close to the school. Some level of E.Coli content - drinkable after treatment
Test results of the water quality at the Basic Health Unit that conducted the test - No E. Coli but presence of foreign particles visible
Test results of the water at the school where DAA donated SkyHydrant water filtration system was installed - No E. Coli and no foreign particles visible
I fear that water supplied to our school children may not be safe. Does Ministry of Education test water quality in schools? Does Health Ministry do it? Do the schools themselves do it? What are the results?
We keep talking of falling quality of education among our children. Could it be directly linked to the quality of water we supply to the school children?
Please spare a moment to give it a thought.
We keep talking of falling quality of education among our children. Could it be directly linked to the quality of water we supply to the school children?
Please spare a moment to give it a thought.