Introduction
Water is a fundamental resource for life on Earth. Without it, we would die within days. Yet, in many parts of the world, clean water is not readily available. In fact, more than 1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water and nearly 2 million people die each year from diseases caused by unsafe water sources or inadequate sanitation systems. Water-related issues can also impact agriculture and food security — often leading to poverty and hunger — as well as climate change due to its role in helping regulate temperatures through evaporation from oceans and lakes.
1.2 billion people don’t have safe drinking water.
- 2 billion people don’t have access to safe drinking water.
This means that they don’t have access to clean drinking water, which is essential for health and well-being. It also means they’re at risk of water-related diseases, including diarrhea and typhoid fever, which are the leading cause of death for children under 5 years old. Water-related diseases cause more deaths than HIV/AIDS or malaria combined—and those numbers continue to rise each year!
6 million people die from water-related diseases every year.
6 million people die from water-related diseases every year. Most of these deaths are children, who lack access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation. Water-related diseases are preventable with simple steps like boiling your water or properly disposing of wastewater (if you live in a developing country).
Water-related diseases include cholera, typhoid fever and diarrhea—all of which can be prevented with proper hygiene practices.
80% of those are children.
As you may know, children are at a higher risk of water-related diseases because they’re smaller and more likely to play in contaminated water. They also have a higher rate of malnutrition, which makes them more susceptible to disease.
In fact, 80% of those affected by drought or floods in Africa are children under 5 years old—and 50% are under 2 years old!
1 in 9 people lack the water needed to meet their daily needs.
1 in 9 people lack the water needed to meet their daily needs. This means that more than 870 million people around the world do not have enough clean water for drinking, cooking and hygiene. The majority of these people live in developing countries and are often located far from a reliable source of safe drinking water.
In some parts of Asia and Africa, 100% of households reported having access to safe drinking water during the previous year; however only 30% had access to improved sources such as piped systems or wells (UNICEF). In Sub-Saharan Africa only 12% had access to improved sources compared with 60% in Latin America & Caribbean region and 80% in Northern America & Western Europe region(UNICEF).
More people have a mobile phone than a toilet.
- More people have a mobile phone than a toilet.
- Many people live without access to toilets, but there are also many people who don’t have enough toilets for their needs. A study by the United Nations University found that at least half of the world’s population does not have access to safe sanitation facilities and relies on open defecation, which causes diseases like diarrhea and cholera. In developing countries where there is little infrastructure for these activities, almost 20% of children under five years old die each year from diarrheal disease caused by contaminated water sources or lack of sanitation services in their communities—a number that could be reduced with proper waste management practices like septic tanks or sewers connecting homes directly into wastewater treatment plants (WWTP).
By 2040, demand for water will be 40% greater than supply.
The global water crisis is real and it’s getting worse. By 2040, demand for water will be 40% greater than supply.
The problem isn’t just in developing countries: we’re all affected by a lack of clean water—and it’s time to act now to save our planet!
By 2025, 2/3 of the world’s population will face water shortages.
Water scarcity is a global problem and one that requires a global solution. In fact, by 2025, 2/3 of the world’s population will face water shortages. This statistic is alarming when you consider that we live in an era where technology has made it possible for us to access unlimited amounts of information at any time—yet many still lack access to clean drinking water.
The good news? There are ways you can help solve this crisis! Conservation measures such as recycling or using reusable containers are some ways individuals can reduce their carbon footprint while also conserving resources like water or electricity (which both come from finite sources). Conservation efforts also help ensure that our planet doesn’t experience another devastating drought like California experienced last year; by reducing greenhouse gas emissions through renewable sources such as wind power generation instead of fossil fuels like coal or natural gas burning furnaces inside homes heating them up too much during winter months…
In some countries, women spend 40 billion hours every year collecting water by hand. (A job that should take 20 minutes or less.)
In some countries, women spend 40 billion hours every year collecting water by hand. (A job that should take 20 minutes or less.)
Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the water crisis because they have less access to safe drinking water than men and boys do. This can make them more vulnerable to diseases like diarrhea, which is linked to poor sanitation in homes and schools.
In addition to lack of clean drinking water, there are also threats such as gender-based violence against women who collect natural resources for their families—a problem called “gendered violence” in research circles—or who work at camps where people live when they’re displaced from their homes due to war or natural disasters such as floods and landslides; these workers often get little pay for their efforts because companies don’t want their employees spending much time away from home!
What is World Water Day?
World Water Day is an annual event to raise awareness of the importance of freshwater and to celebrate the world’s water. It’s celebrated every year on March 22, which is also Earth Day. The first World Water Day was in 1993, when it was proposed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Today we’re celebrating another one-year anniversary: World Water Week! We’ve got some great deals for you—plus some tips that will help you make sure your home or business stays green this week!
Why is World Water Day important?
World Water Day is an international day of observance that highlights the importance of freshwater and the global water crisis. On this day, participants around the world come together to raise awareness about how critical clean water is for our well-being and environment.
The United Nations General Assembly created World Water Day in 1992, recognizing that access to drinking water is one of five key elements necessary for human survival. Since then, there has been an increase in research on ways we can protect our watersheds from pollution or natural disasters like floods or droughts—and understand which pollutants are most harmful during crisis situations like Hurricane Harvey (2017).
Did you know that access to clean water helps prevent illnesses like cholera and typhoid?
Did you know that access to clean water helps prevent illnesses like cholera and typhoid? These diseases are caused by contaminated water and can be fatal if not treated quickly.
Cholera is an infectious disease spread through contaminated food or water, which causes severe diarrhea in children who have not been vaccinated against it yet. The disease is treatable with antibiotics if caught early enough; however, if left untreated for longer than 24 hours (the average time it takes for symptoms to appear), cholera can become life-threatening—so it’s important for everyone in your household to practice hygienic behavior at all times!
Here are some ways to reduce your water footprint.
Here are some ways to reduce your water footprint:
- Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth. If you’re brushing with a sink full of dirty dishes, don’t let the water run while you shave or wash dishes.
- Use a water-efficient showerhead. A low-flow model is available for around $10 at most hardware stores or online retailers such as Amazon and Home Depot; they’re typically rated at 0.5 gallons per minute (GPM). You can also install an aerator on leading edge of your faucet so that it spits out less than 1 GPM when turned on all the way up, which reduces both power usage and cost savings over time as well!
- Only run dishwashers when they’re full—and remember not to use soap tabs in them because these aren’t biodegradable and may block drains quickly after being flushed down toilets into sewers where wastewater treatment plants don’t work properly due to lack of funding by governments around world.”
World Water Day reminds us of the importance of clean water for everyone everywhere.
World Water Day reminds us of the importance of clean water for everyone everywhere. In 2018, an estimated 1 billion people around the world lack access to safe drinking water, and another 3 billion don’t have adequate sanitation services.
The global water crisis is not only a problem for developing countries; it’s also an issue that impacts all parts of our lives: from work productivity at home or in offices to health risks related to poor sanitation conditions at school or at home.
Conclusion
All of these issues are incredibly important to consider in the future. We cannot afford to ignore them.
