A woman collects water from a water pit in Goromonzi, a rural community in Mashonaland East, Zimbabwe. Despite the poor quality of the water, this pit provides a much-needed water source for local residents. Hlengisile Jiyane
Water is essential for the survival and growth of all living things, yet freshwater resources are limited and unevenly distributed. As climate change alters weather patterns, the frequency and severity of water-related disasters are increasing. It’s time to recognize the true value of water and work towards lasting solutions.
Water for All Tzu Chi’s Initiatives Around the World
By Yeh Tzu-hao
Translated by Wu Hsiao-ting
PHOTO BY HLENGISILE JIYANE
From drilling wells in Zimbabwe to harvesting rainwater in Taiwan, Tzu Chi’s global efforts bring clean water to those in need while promoting sustainable practices.
In Taiwan, public facilities like train stations, sports venues, shopping malls, and hospitals provide free access to clean drinking water. Anyone with a reusable water bottle can easily find a place to refill it. And that’s not just in Taiwan. In developed and affluent nations, water availability is seldom a concern; the question is usually what to drink, not whether water is accessible.
In stark contrast, hundreds of millions around the world struggle to secure even a single glass of clean, safe water. A staggering 2.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, according to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs’ 2023 report on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sadly, the problem is worsening as climate change intensifies water scarcity.
Digging wells, saving lives
A severe drought that swept across much of southern Africa forced Zimbabwe to declare a state of disaster. In Domboshava, near the national capital of Harare, a long line of people gathered at a well under the scorching sun. After filling their buckets, they set out on the challenging journey home. A fortunate few had bicycles to ease the burden, but many young children and mothers had no choice but to carry the heavy loads home on foot.
Though arduous, this routine marked progress. Previously, residents had to walk over ten kilometers (6.2 miles) to fetch water. The new well reduced the distance to just two or three kilometers.
Tino Chu (朱金財), head of Tzu Chi Zimbabwe and a resident of the country for nearly 30 years, spoke about the struggles faced by communities without functioning wells. Many people in such areas rely on rivers or remote pools for water, risking encounters with crocodiles, wild dogs, and venomous snakes. With no other options available, residents have no choice but to take their chances. What’s worse, the water they collect—shared with wildlife and contaminated with waste—is often unsafe and has led to frequent cases of diarrhea and cholera outbreaks.
Chu recalled a harrowing incident in 2008 when he witnessed a cholera patient succumb to the disease just seven hours after the symptoms first appeared. That year, Zimbabwe recorded over 79,000 cholera cases and more than 3,700 deaths. Experiences and dire statistics like this prompted Chu to take action to make clean water more available. Since 2013, he has led a professional-level team specializing in drilling deep wells to provide clean underground water.
“Zimbabwe’s underground water is generally very clean due to the lack of industrial pollution,” Chu noted. However, drilling or repairing a well requires careful planning to ensure that there is an aquifer, the land is public, and the well is conveniently located near settlements. “I often tell our volunteers that although we are drilling or repairing wells, what we are truly doing is saving lives,” Chu added. “If we don’t take action, many lives could be lost to bacterial infections.”
Chu’s team began with just one well-drilling unit but expanded to five after another major cholera outbreak in 2023, which prompted five provincial governors to seek Chu’s assistance. The team has also greatly improved its efficiency; while drilling a well once took 19 hours, it now takes just five.
The wells drilled by Tzu Chi’s team are deep, providing safer and steadier water supplies than shallow wells or surface water pits. A single well can serve between 1,000 and 5,000 people. Chu’s team has thus far drilled or repaired over 2,000 wells, benefiting at least two million people with access to clean, safe water. Each completed well is met with cheers and celebrations from the local community.
Despite these achievements, water remains a precious commodity and is used sparingly. A family of five typically gets by with just five to seven buckets of water a day, amounting to less than 20 liters per person. Even wastewater from dishwashing is repurposed for livestock. “Seeing chickens desperately waiting for this water is always shocking to me,” Chu shared.
Chu’s efforts to provide clean water in a country with severe water shortages align with the first target of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6: ensuring universal access to clean, safe, and affordable drinking water. Tzu Chi, alongside other humanitarian organizations, is addressing water challenges in the world through sourcing, purification, and conservation. Zimbabwe is just one example of Tzu Chi’s broader mission to provide water aid. In August 2024, for instance, the foundation launched its first slow sand filter facility outside Taiwan, in Mozambique, further expanding its efforts to improve access to safe drinking water.
A resident of Tica, Nhamatanda District, Mozambique, draws water from a makeshift well, as witnessed by Tzu Chi volunteers providing care after Cyclone Idai. Cai Kai-fan
Slow sand filtration
Residents of the Kura Tzu Chi Great Love Village in Sofala Province, Mozambique, cheered with joy before lining up to fill their containers with clean water from a newly installed filtration facility. A Tzu Chi team from Taiwan was present to officially inaugurate this much-welcomed addition to the village. Tzu Chi had built the housing village after Cyclone Idai, with residents gradually moving in starting in 2023. In 2024, a slow sand filter was added to ensure access to clean drinking water.
Xie Yao-lian (謝曜聯), the chief engineer for the project, explained that due to the lack of public electricity in the village, solar-powered pumps are used to draw well water into a storage tank, which then feeds water into the slow sand filter for purification. However, the solar-powered system limits the filter’s operation to daylight hours, making it essential for residents to use water judiciously. If the filter runs dry, it takes about a month to restore its purification process.
Slow sand filtration is not a new technology; it has been in use since the 19th century in England. Unlike modern tap water systems that use chlorination to disinfect water, slow sand filters utilize a natural biological process to remove harmful pathogens.
The Kura Village filtration system was made possible through a collaboration between Tzu Chi and the Taiwan Water Corporation, which provided technical expertise and guidance during construction. Chen Wen-hsiang (陳文祥), director of the corporation’s water quality department, described the system’s structure: layers of sand, pebbles, and bricks. After the system is filled with water, a maturation period allows a biofilm of microorganisms and algae to develop on the top layer of sand. This biofilm helps remove bacteria and impurities from the water.
“This ecosystem functions like an African rainforest,” Chen explained, drawing an analogy to the law of the jungle. “Pathogenic bacteria, such as Vibrio cholerae, are consumed as food within this environment.” In this natural process, organisms regulate one another, eliminating the need for chemical chlorination or replaceable filter cartridges. In addition to being all-natural, the system is highly effective. The coliform bacteria count in the water drops from over 7,000 CFU per 100 mL before filtration to fewer than 20 CFU per 100 mL after. This is nearing Taiwan’s potable water standard of fewer than six CFU per 100 mL. This level of purification effectively reduces the risk of waterborne diseases like cholera.
Tzu Chi has previously employed advanced water purification technologies, such as ultrafiltration membranes to remove harmful bacteria and reverse osmosis systems to desalinate seawater. However, those systems require specialized materials and skilled personnel, making them less suitable for long-term use in developing regions. Slow sand filters, in contrast, offer a more practical solution, as they can be built using locally available materials and maintained with minimal training. “Regular scraping, sand replenishment, and basic upkeep are all that’s needed,” Chen emphasized.
Now that the first slow sand filtration unit in Mozambique is operational, more units are being planned. Tzu Chi is also introducing this technology to other regions, including Zimbabwe, Nepal, and India. In Zimbabwe, volunteers have applied for government approval and hope to begin construction soon.
Tzu Chi built a slow sand filter facility using natural methods to provide clean water. Xie Yao-lian
Residents of Epworth, Harare, Zimbabwe, fetch water from a well drilled by Tzu Chi. Courtesy of Tzu Chi Zimbabwe
Rainwater harvesting
Arid regions face a constant battle against drought. Yet, the opposite isn’t always better. The overabundance of water during typhoons or floods brings little relief, as murky floodwaters offer no safe drinking source. After Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and a catastrophic dam collapse in Laos, Tzu Chi volunteers stepped in to provide essential water purification and storage equipment. Every extra liter of clean water brought a glimmer of hope in those challenging times.
Taiwan enjoys widespread access to tap water, and most residents rarely worry about shortages. However, the island’s steep mountainous terrain and short rivers mean that most rainfall quickly flows into the ocean, leaving only 18 percent available for storage and use. This low retention rate, coupled with pronounced wet and dry seasons, intensifies the challenges of water scarcity. The severe drought of 2021 remains a vivid reminder of the importance of integrating water-saving practices into daily life and the need to mobilize businesses, organizations, and the public to take collective action.
Lin Min-chao (林敏朝), a consultant for Tzu Chi’s construction department, recalled the origins of rainwater harvesting and water-saving facilities in Tzu Chi buildings. “We were in a meeting with Master Cheng Yen at Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital one very rainy day in Hualien,” he recounted. “After the meeting, a volunteer pointed out that Hualien’s rainfall in one day exceeded what arid regions in Gansu, China, received in an entire year. Hearing this, the Master reminded us that rainwater is a precious natural resource we must cherish.”
This conversation took place in the late 1990s, a time when concepts like rainwater harvesting, water conservation, and green building were still new in Taiwan, with few industry precedents. Tzu Chi’s construction team decided to begin experimenting with these ideas at Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital.
“A single toilet flush uses 12 liters of water,” Lin explained. “The water-saving toilets we introduced in Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital use only nine liters per flush, saving three liters with each use.” He also shared the team’s approach to rainwater harvesting. Traditionally, rainwater is directed to storage facilities at a building’s foundation level, where it is pumped to water towers on upper floors. Tzu Chi’s team, however, opted for a decentralized system, placing storage tanks directly on upper floors. “For example, rainwater collected on the fifth floor flows down to the third floor, eliminating the need for pumps to bring it back up,” Lin said. This design removes the need for additional electricity to power pumps.
Improving water-use efficiency and ensuring sustainable freshwater supply and reuse are also targets under SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). In 2000, the rainwater harvesting system at Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital was completed and became operational, significantly reducing tap water consumption. It set a pioneering example for sustainable water management in Taiwan.
Larger Tzu Chi facilities constructed after 2000, including schools and hospitals, have incorporated water-saving and rainwater harvesting systems. Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital, in particular, has excelled in water and energy conservation, earning the Green Building Silver Label from Taiwan’s Ministry of the Interior in 2015.
“Initially, rainwater harvested at our hospital was solely used for watering plants, but now it serves both irrigation and air conditioning needs,” stated Yu Xu-fu (余許富), from the engineering department of Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital. As he spoke, he crouched beneath some rooftop eaves and made his way to the top floor of the hospital’s left-side building.
“There are 26 three-ton water tanks here,” Yu said. The tanks are part of the hospital’s overall water storage system. He added that in the past, rainwater was stored until all the tanks were full. However, with some of the water now diverted for air conditioning, the tanks rarely reach full capacity. “The air conditioning runs daily, requiring 500 to 600 tons of water during the summer,” he noted.
Unlike the discreet rainwater harvesting system at Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital, most of the rainwater facilities at the Tzu Chi Nanbu Recycling Station, located in Nantou County, central Taiwan, are highly visible. The recycling station’s water storage system includes nine tanks of various sizes and a six-ton underground cistern, with a total capacity of 96 tons. Together, these facilities can sustain the station for up to six months without rainfall.
Lin Jin-guo (林金國), who oversees the recycling station and designed its rainwater harvesting system, shared, “Our water reserves had dropped to around 50 tons by the end of July, but were replenished and even overflowed due to Typhoon Gaemi.”
Efficient rainwater use has significantly reduced the station’s reliance on tap water, with bills totaling a mere 200 Taiwanese dollars (US$6.70) every two months. This impressive result prompted an inspection by the water company, which was initially skeptical. In the end, however, Lin was awarded the Water Conservation Public Welfare Award by the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Water Resources Agency. Now recognized as a water conservation expert, he attracts visits from government organizations and fellow Tzu Chi volunteers seeking to learn from his expertise. Lin has also helped implement rainwater harvesting systems at other recycling stations and the Jing Si Abode, the Buddhist convent founded by Master Cheng Yen.
“When we first established the recycling station,” Lin said, “we envisioned rainwater storage facilities not just for practical use, but also as an educational tool. We hoped to inspire others to cherish rainwater, a gift from nature.” Now, their vision has become a reality.
After Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines in 2013, Tzu Chi supplied water purification equipment to help ensure clean water for affected residents in Tacloban(Photo 1). Huang Xiao-zhe
Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital in central Taiwan installed rainwater collection tanks to make use of valuable rainwater resources. Placing such tanks on upper floors conserves electricity by eliminating the need to pump the water(Photo 2). Hsiao Yiu-hwa
Scarcer than they seem
With tap water widely available around the world, many people are unaware of the severity of water shortages and their global implications. The World Health Organization has warned that “as many as 700 million people are at risk of being displaced as a result of drought by 2030,” underscoring the urgent need for greater awareness and action.
To raise awareness of the scarcity and value of water resources, Tzu Chi volunteer Jer Lin Chen (陳哲霖), a recipient of the National Environmental Education Award from Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration (now the Ministry of Environment), created an installation artwork called Water Cube, using a thousand PET bottles.
The thousand bottles in the Water Cube symbolize all the water on Earth. Of these, only 25 represent fresh water, while the rest signify salt water. Seventeen of the 25 bottles represent polar icebergs, and seven signify underground water. The amount of surface water available for human use is represented by just one bottle.
“Our Earth may seem to have abundant water, but only 0.1 percent is fresh water we can actually use,” Chen explained. “The stark contrast between one bottle and one thousand bottles vividly illustrates the scarcity of water resources. That’s why we must cherish water as if it were gold.”
Water is the elixir of life for all creatures. As Dharma Master Cheng Yen says, “Water is the essence of life.” Similarly, the United Nations has emphasized that “Water is at the core of sustainable development and is critical for socio-economic development, energy and food production, healthy ecosystems, and human survival itself.”
As water scarcity becomes an ever-growing global crisis, it serves as a stark reminder of how fragile our access to this life-sustaining resource is. With millions already affected, the need for action has never been clearer. Tzu Chi’s initiatives offer hope but also highlight the critical need for widespread, collective efforts to ensure clean water for all. In facing this challenge, we must remember that every action counts in safeguarding the future of our planet and its people.
Lin Jin-guo, a volunteer at the Tzu Chi Nanpu Recycling Station in central Taiwan, designed a rainwater harvesting system using recycled water tanks of various sizes. The collected rainwater is filtered and used within the station, significantly reducing tap water consumption. Hsiao Yiu-hwa
