Healing Waters International is committed to helping end the Global Water Crisis by providing people with access to affordable, clean water. By knowing the facts behind the complex problem, you’re in a better position to rally alongside us in our efforts of helping make sure every human being has access to safe drinking water. Below we list 10 facts about water scarcity you should know.
- An estimated 801,000 children younger than 5 years of age perish from diarrhea each year, mostly in developing countries. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016
- About 15% of the world’s population lives without ANY FORM of sanitation and practice open defecation, meaning that their drinking water source is infected with the diseases that feces carries. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012
- 50% of child malnutrition is associated with unsafe water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene. World Health Organization, 2008
- For every $1 invested in water and sanitation, an average of at least $4 is returned in increased productivity. World Health Organization, 2012
- 842,000 people die every year from diseases caused by unsafe water, inadequate sanitation and lack of hygiene. World Health Organization, 2017
- 6 billion people have gained access to an improved drinking-water source since 1990. (Good news!) World Health Organization, 2017
- By 2025, half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas. World Health Organization, 2017
- Research in sub-Saharan Africa suggests that women and girls in low-income countries spend 40 billion hours a year collecting water—the equivalent of a year’s worth of labor by the entire Work force in France. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNEDSA), 2007
- Globally, 80% of wastewater flows back into the ecosystem without being treated or reused. UN Water, 2017
- The UN suggests that each person needs 20-50 liters of water a day to ensure their basic needs for drinking, cooking and cleaning. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 2017
Join us in ending the Global Water Crisis!