Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in an Emergency

Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)-related emergency preparedness and outbreak response has become one of the most significant and crucial public health issues in recent history. Emergencies can include natural disasters (for example, hurricanes, floods, and droughts), man-made disasters (for example, chemical spills into waterways), and outbreaks (for example, infections linked to water exposure after a disaster). Preparedness resources are included on this site.