This is a Portland area Community PSA and call to action. Access to clean drinking water in our Metro area is dangerously limited for the houseless community. Many of our neighbors are having to resort puddles and rainwater. This is a sanitation and health crisis.
Here is a video I shot yesterday while making some water deliveries. -Show video-
There was just one bathroom open at the facility I just showed and ONLY the toilet has running water. I am not anything like public health expert but it seems to me not having access to water to drink or for sanitation is as great threat to community health. In the metro area we need our government agencies to step up to water and sanitation so campers can have basic access. So far, it’s not happening. I will spare showing you pictures I found of the porta-pottys that were made available, downtown. They appear unmaintained, overflowing and without sanitizer or toilet paper. Water fountains and spigots are off across the state.

Here are calls to action: Contact your elected representatives at all levels of government and make them away of the issue of no access and the risk to the community especially to the most vulnerable. Second, I propose that area residents WHO CARE start placing hoses with spigots AND soap near sidewalks so people can fill water containers and wash their hands. Even IF we can get our government to act it will still be difficult to reach everyone. Community members with the resources have the ability to bring online thousands of water stations immediately and dispersed across the city. I clearly understand these presents its own set of problems. If you have a better ideas, I am all ears.

Thanks, Dan