Population Growth and Water Supply 2.4.1c

Billions of People Lack Clean Water 2 billion people lack adequate sanitation facilities to protect them from water-borne disease 1 billion lack access to clean water altogether.

95 percent of the world’s cities still dump raw sewage into their water supplies. 80 percent of all the health maladies in developing countries can be traced back to unsanitary water.

Contaminated Water Over large parts of the world, humans have inadequate access to potable water (drinkable water) and use sources contaminated with disease vectors, pathogens or unacceptable levels of toxins or suspended solids. Drinking or using such water in food preparation leads to widespread acute and chronic illnesses and is a major cause of death and misery in many countries. Reduction of waterborne diseases is a major public health goal in developing countries.

Potable Water Drinking water or potable water is water safe enough to be consumed by humans or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry meets drinking water standards, even though only a very small proportion is actually consumed or used in food preparation.

“Water Stressed”

“Water Stressed” “water-stressed” countries could increase six fold over the next 30 years. “It raises tons of issues about water and agriculture, growing enough food, providing for all the material needs that people demand as incomes increase, and providing drinking water,”

What can you do? Personal Action to Conserve Water Resources As individuals, we can all rein in our own water use to help conserve what is becoming an ever more precious resource. We can hold off on watering our lawns in times of drought. And when it does rain, we can gather gutter water in barrels to feed garden hoses and sprinklers. We can turn off the faucet while we brush our teeth or shave, and take shorter showers. “Doing more with less is the first and easiest step along the path toward water security.”