FAQ
FACTS ABOUT WATER IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD
Clean water is vital to our health, communities, and economy. Water is one of our most vital resources, and when a country’s water is polluted, it is devastating, not only to the environment, but also to human health and communities of all sizes. Unfortunately, water contamination issues abound throughout the world. By supporting Clean Water Matters and similar organizations that work to improve water systems, everyone can have a hand in ensuring clean, safe water for themselves, their families and their communities.
HUMAN IMPACT
- 884 million people in the world lack access to safe water supplies.
- More than 840,000 people die each year from water-related diseases.
- Almost 2 in 3 people who need safe drinking water survive on less than $2 a day.
- Every minute a child dies of a water-related disease.
- Diarrhea caused by inadequate drinking water, sanitation, and hand hygiene kills an estimated 842,000 people every year globally or approximately 2,300 people per day.
ENVIROMENTAL IMPACT
- In many developing countries, millions of women spend several hours a day collecting water from distant, often polluted sources.
- Clean water is one aspect of improving sustainable food production in order to reduce poverty and hunger.
- More than 80% of sewage in developing countries is discharged untreated, polluting rivers, lakes and coastal areas.
SOCIAL IMPACT
- More than 1/2 of all primary schools in developing countries don’t have adequate water facilities and nearly 2/3 lack adequate sanitation.
- By 2025, 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world’s population could be living under water-stressed conditions.
- Every $1 spent on water and sanitation generates $8 as a result of saved time, increased productivity, and reduced health care costs.