ShelterBox are sending 5,000 water filtration units and 2,500 water carriers to Pakistan in response to the need for clean water.

The LifeStraws and water carriers are being flown out this week and will join the 1,900 ShelterBox tents already deployed in the country and the 624 ShelterBoxes which are on their way to Pakistan.

A family-sized water filtration unit or LifeStraw can filter a minimum of 18,000 litres of water – providing safe and potentially life-saving drinking water for displaced families.

Jessica Stanton, ShelterBox Operations Coordinator, said: ‘Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable without clean drinking water and there has been a reported significant increase in diarrhea, dysentery and other diseases with a cholera epidemic the worst case scenario. This is an immediate and critical need so we’re sending a consignment of LifeStraws to Pakistan.

‘LifeStraws make dirty water safe to drink. They are an essential bit of kit that we normally put in ShelterBox packs and they will make a huge difference to those affected by the flooding. We plan to send many more as soon as possible as the health risks from drinking dirty water are so huge.’

View Full Article: http://www.shelterbox.org/news.php?id=411