Two recent developments on 'water rights'

We are in strong agreement with last week's encylical release where it concerns clean water as a basic and free human right. As Pope Francis made clear in his statement: 

Fresh drinking water is an issue of primary importance, since it is indispensable for human life and for supporting terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems ... Water supplies used to be relatively constant, but now in many places demand exceeds the sustainable supply, with dramatic consequences in the short and long term. Large cities dependent on significant supplies of water have experienced periods of shortage, and at critical moments these have not always been administered with sufficient oversight and impartiality."

- Pope Francis

Related to the Pope's special mention of the dire need for fresh and accessible water on the African continent, comes this promising story from Kenya. Although not completely free, these 'water ATMs' allow for cheaper and cleaner water in an urban area that suffers shortages of supply. 

For more on how we are making clean water a priority, visit our water crisis work in the southern Philippines where we have been restoring clean water to students around the region.