December 2011
In mid-October 2011, heavy rains and flash floods in Central America caused widespread damage, killing almost 100 people—reminding many of the damage caused by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. To alleviate the impact of flooding on disaster-prone areas, 4th Sector Health and P&G, through its “Improving Access to Clean and Safe Drinking Water during Emergencies” alliance, had already distributed the P&G Purifier of Water to a total of 7,118 families in difficult to reach areas. In Guatemala alone, the national emergency management agency, CONRED, reported more than 47,000 people affected by the rain, including 11,000 evacuated from their homes. Since the flooding, these communities have been using P&G Purifier of Water, as reported by the implementing partner Catholic Relief Services: “Many of the families were in high risk areas that are routinely flooded. The idea was they would be trained and ready with the packets in the immediate aftermath when flooding occurred.” The alliance partners are currently exploring ways to ensure a sustained supply of PUR for future emergencies in the country.
P&G has recently rebranded its water purifier from “PUR Purifier of Water” to “P&G Purifier of Water.” For more information on this transition, click here.