Welcome
Thank you for your interest in the almost one billion people around the world who do not have access to safe drinking water.
This web site presents information about the challenges faced by much of the world population to obtain safe drinking water. It highlights the connections of unsafe water and waterborne diseases to sanitation and hygiene. Simple, inexpensive, scientifically vetted and effective methods to detect the presence of the bacteria Escherichia coli (E•coli) in water contaminated with fecal matter will be presented. These methods can be taught to almost anyone in two to four hours regardless of educational background. This bacteria is most often associated with diseases such as cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A virus, polio virus and diarrhea. Also examined are methods to treat water contaminated with the bacteria.
About IWHA
International Water and Health Alliances (IWHA) was co-founded in Davis, California by Robert Metcalf Ph.D., and Patrick Widner in 2010 as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.
IWHA President Robert Metcalf Ph.D. and Kenyan Wangari Maathai, Nobel Prize winner and founder of the Green Belt Movement
IWHA executive director Patrick Widner and Mary Robinson past United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former president of Ireland
Special thank you to ErinRose Widner and Paul Blair for their generosity and diligence in the creation and construction of the web site. Thank you to Mary Beth Metcalf and Gloria Widner for all of their support to IWHA; Zoila Regina Alvarez and Dan Ball for their logistical support, guidance and hospitality; Bailey Weston for the logo design; and Alejandra for the reminder of the joy in caring for all children.