By Thomas Fergusson The observance of World Water Day this year
(March 22), with its spotlight on urban emergencies, comes at a
time when many humanitarian aid and relief organizations are
contemplating—in some cases, studying in-depth—the growing trend
of large emergencies shifting from rural to urban settings.
Increasingly erratic weather patterns, which some link to man-
made climate change, are causing droughts and floods that are
driving millions to leave the countryside for cities. In Haiti,
in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, Concern
Worldwide had to tackle most of these issues in highly
challenging circumstances, with Port-au-Prince qualifying as a
highly impoverished urban setting experiencing a major emergency
albeit in extraordinary circumstances. The city was one of the
most challenging environments for water and sanitation before
the earthquake; the massive disaster only made the situation
exponentially more complicated. We had to respond quickly and
accurately, which was enormously di