"Access to water is a global health issue. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in six people don't have access to reliable, safe drinking water, and 2.6 billion people (40% of the world's total population) lack access to basic sanitation."
Access to safe water and access to sanitation (hygiene) are important. The contamination of water sources by human waste, and the waterborne diseases (diseases that live in water) that result from this contamination, are a source of great human suffering.
Access to water is an economic issue because it is vital for reducing poverty and producing food and energy. It is also an issue for women and children as they are usually responsible for finding carrying the household's daily supply of water from distant wells.
Waterborne Diseases:
These diseases occur when people drink contaminated (unhealthy) drinking water. When this same water is used to prepare food, people can get a range of food-borne diseases. The main diseases transmitted through contaminated water include:
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Sanitation:
Sanitation is the basic need and a way to safeguard people's health. It prevents the spread of diseases.
For many countries, it is a challenge to build and provide necessary things like toilets, sewage systems, pumping stations, water pipelines and treatment plants needed to prevent contamination. The two main reasons are the cost to build these necessary systems and also with the incurbanisation
Sanitation is the basic need and a way to safeguard people's health. It prevents the spread of diseases.
For many countries, it is a challenge to build and provide necessary things like toilets, sewage systems, pumping stations, water pipelines and treatment plants needed to prevent contamination. The two main reasons are the cost to build these necessary systems and also with the incurbanisation
The Facts:
In some countries where there are a lack of toilets, people are forced to use public spaces. This increases the risk of transmitting diseases. The Ganges River in India, for example, has approximately 1 billion litres of raw sewage dumped into it every day. Research shows that 1 gram of untreated human waste may contain 10 million viruses, 1 million bacteria and 100 worm eggs.
In India, it is estimated that 80% of all health problems and one-third of all deaths are due to contaminated water. Building toilets can have an immediate impact on public health, and can reduce death rates from diarrhoea by up to a third.
Providing toilets encourages children (especially girls) to go to school. Research shows that girls are less likely to go to school if there is no toilets
Growing Cities:
In some countries where there are a lack of toilets, people are forced to use public spaces. This increases the risk of transmitting diseases. The Ganges River in India, for example, has approximately 1 billion litres of raw sewage dumped into it every day. Research shows that 1 gram of untreated human waste may contain 10 million viruses, 1 million bacteria and 100 worm eggs.
In India, it is estimated that 80% of all health problems and one-third of all deaths are due to contaminated water. Building toilets can have an immediate impact on public health, and can reduce death rates from diarrhoea by up to a third.
Providing toilets encourages children (especially girls) to go to school. Research shows that girls are less likely to go to school if there is no toilets
Growing Cities:
- People living in the world's rapidly growing slums have very limited access to safe water.
- People living in these slums may only have access to 5-10 litres per day.
- A person in the same city on a middle income may use 50-150 litres per day.
- Nearly 30% of fresh water supplies are lost in some cities due to leaking pipes and poor infrastructure.
- In some larger cities, leaking pipes can lose up to 70% of the fresh water supplies
Complete these questions in your work book:
- How many people in the world do not have access to clean water?
- List the effects of poor sanitation on the health and wellbeing of people
- What are the benefits of improved sanitation and clean water?
- Read the SPOTLIGHT section on page 123. Now do some research and see what other charities/organisations you can find who focus on 'clean water for all'. How are they helping to provide fresh water?
- Complete the interactive activity on page 123 of Pearson