Water Crisis
Note: This page can be cited with information at the bottom of the page
The Facts
Over 700 MILLION PEOPLE do not have access to sanitary drinking water
1000 CHILDREN DIE EACH DAY as a result of drinking contaminated water.
NUMEROUS DISEASES & PARASITES contracted from dirty water, including Cholera, Schistosomiasis, and Guinea Worm (which this boy just had removed)
If a jumbo jet crashed EVERY HOUR AND A HALF FOR 365 DAYS A YEAR, it would be EQUIVALENT to the deaths from the water crisis
Water Availability
Because a large content of our fresh water is glacial or groundwater, people must make use of these waters for their drinking, bathing, cleaning, and agricultural purposes. Especially in African countries, people have less surface fresh water clean and readily available. They must gain access to ground water in some way to stay healthy, but they cannot do it themselves. Instead, they have to drink contaminated water from polluted lakes, rivers, streams, or often just a small hole in the ground.
Most Affected
Children
Children, commonly between ages 8-13 are among the most affected. Without fully developed bodies, they can suffer spinal and pelvic deformities easily from carrying 44 pound jerry cans on their heads. They also miss out on their education because of their 6-8 hours of walking, which leads to less future job opportunities.
Women
Women and girls of all ages are often the people tasked with retrieving water for their families. They usually cannot get jobs to provide for their families because they don't have time. Carrying water is physically demanding on women, as it is for children. This can lead to a large amount of spontaneous miscarriages among pregnant women.
Seniors
Seniors have an increased likelihood of developing preexisting conditions across the globe. These can include issues that throw off balance and physical maintenance. 3.75 miles (approx. 66 football fields) with 44 pounds of water is very complicated for this older population.
Cite this page:
Our team is run by students, so we know citations can be a pain sometimes. Use this section to cite our page quickly following your teacher / professor's template or requested edition. If citations are optional, you are not required to cite us.
Title: Water Crisis
Author: Bryce McHose
Date of publication: 11/30/2020
Last edited: 10/29/2021
City of publication: Williamsburg, VA
Publisher / Website Name / Group Name: Williamsburg Area Thirst Project
URL / Web Address: wathirstproject.org/learn/water-crisis
Last fact-checked on 10/29/2022.