Caf? patrons are being urged to fork out for their tap water but it?s all in the name of charity.
The Unicef tap project campaign supports efforts to provide clean drinking water and improved hygiene and sanitation in developing countries. The nationwide campaign, now in its second year, will run between March 9 and April 9. Last year more than 110 restaurants and cafes from around the country took part in the programme, with over 60 from Wellington alone. The North Island as a whole mustered almost 100 participating establishments, including?one each from Plimmerton and Lower Hutt.? Tap Project Co-ordinator Carolyn Shivanandan is hopeful Petone Businesses will take part this year. Participating Tap Project restaurants and cafes ask their customers to donate $1 or more for the clean, healthy tap water that eateries normally supply at no charge. Ms Shivanandan says Kiwis are fortunate to have ready access to clean drinking water at the turn of a tap. However, for about a billion people worldwide, clean water is a luxury. ?The lack of clean and accessible drinking water is the second largest killer of children under five worldwide. ?Nearly 5,000 children die every day as a result of water-related diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid and malaria.? Money raised by this year?s Tap Project will support UNICEF?s water-related projects in Laos. Last year?s campaign helped to fund UNICEF?s safe water and improved sanitation projects in Tanzania. The projects include boreholes and wells fitted with hand pumps, rainwater harvesting systems, and hygiene promotion.
