The Earthquakes that hit Puerto Rico in January 2020 caused massive damage to island infrastructure. Read how Filters for Families is working to provide clean drinking water to residents and how you can help.
Thursday, January 16, 2020
The earthquakes in Puerto Rico have left 300,000 people without drinking water and the entire island without electricity. As of Tuesday morning, there are 800 people in the southern area living in shelters. The first 2 weeks of a disaster are the most vulnerable for communities since basic supplies like water and food are difficult to locate.
Filters for Families (FFF) worked in Nepal in the 2015 earthquake disaster to provide 5,000 filters (30 liters/hour) and hundreds of 150, 250 and 500- liter water drums (flow rate 120 liters/hour) with Sawyer filters inserted in the top.
After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017, FFF provided a 150- gallon tank and 67 individual filters to the fisher community in Guayanilla, Ponce and some local mountain areas. This is the same area affected by the recent earthquakes. A 2 -bucket Sawyer system filter is $45 and the large 150- gallon community filter is $300 (gravity flow no electricity is needed).
I will be traveling to Puerto Rico this Sunday at the request of FEMA.
Any help to cover my expenses will be appreciated.
These photos are of Albert and Antoni who built the large 150- gallon tank for the Fisher community in Guayanilla in 2017 after Hurricane Maria. I spent 2 months working with FEMA in the same area inspecting houses and distributing filters in my off time.
Follow me on this blog to hear about my progress and see new photos.
To donate to bring fresh water to those affected by the earthquake, click here.
With much gratitude,
Linda Smith, PhD
Director, Filters for Families