23 Water Poverty Facts: This Will Make You Think Twice!

Safe water and universal access to secure related facilities are vital for public health.

According to the World Health Organization, two billion people use drinking water sources contaminated with human waste. Lack of proper sanitation and clean water supply can lead to diseases.

The World Health Organization states that the world's population is currently facing the issue of living in water-stressed areas, and much worse by 2025. The water crisis is inevitable in this developing world. With statistics on water shortages, it is predicted that we are likely to suffer a lack of access to essential water supplies shortly.

As per a recent report by the United Nations, only 0.5% of the global water is usable, and the surface water may not cover the safe water demand we have now. More than a million people have not gained access to water and sanitation facilities in the least developed countries as per the current status.

Water poverty is a condition of many developing countries where the population cannot access sufficient water or quality water to meet the human body's basic requirements. There is a global water crisis, and poor sanitation and hygiene issues in developing countries.

At least 9% of worldwide illness and 6% of global mortality could be avoided if water, sanitation, and hygiene were improved. During the first part of the 20th century, investments in water filtration and chlorination in the United States were estimated to have returned a rate of 1:23.

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Causes And Contributing Factors

There are many causes and contributing factors to water poverty, but the leading cause is global warming.

• Global warming is always the leading cause, where the air temperature is becoming warmer day by day, and the water from the river and the lakes evaporates much faster.
• There are many other factors apart from global warming, such as the overusing of the water, pollution of the water, conflict, drought, groundwater pollution, and many more causes and contributing factors.
• The overuse of water is also one of the factors, which is common. Many people waste water easily in their day-to-day life. Then the pollution of the underwater is done by the oil, carcasses, chemicals, the unwanted use of fertilizers, and other harmful substances.
• The diseases caused due to lack of sanitation in drinking water, or as simple as hand hygiene, affect billions of people around the world.

Impacts Of Water Poverty

As per international law, access to clean water and sanitation is a human right. But many things come from the impacts of water poverty across the world. The lack of access to safe, sufficient, and, yes, affordable water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities directly can affect human health, dignity, and the prosperity of the people.

• Water poverty is also known as the cause of malnutrition. If there is water poverty, and many poor people cannot drink contaminated water, which impacts their health.
• Dirty water can bring water-borne diseases, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, giardia, and many dangerous diseases.
• Dirty water can dangerously damage and weaken the human immune system of any thirsty child, and it can also compromise all basic functions of the body.
• This scenario can be seen significantly easier in the poorer areas where people don’t have sufficient water and cannot afford water poverty.
• Sub Saharan Africa has been suffering some serious issues due to contaminated water. A billion people face cholera, typhoid, diarrhea, and many such diseases.
• In Sub-Saharan Africa, the water crisis is so bad that two in five people lack safe drinking water.
• According to the United Nations report, the most significant losses are faced by Antarctica and Greenland, and the highly populated locations face extreme poverty.
• The Sustainable Development Goal targets universal and equitable access to safe water and affordable drinking water for millions of people in rural areas.
• They lack access to sanitation and basic facilities to collect water services, even for handwashing and drinking water.
• The United Nations and the World Health Organization have worked on the Joint Monitoring Programme for water supply and improved sanitation, serving millions worldwide.

Society And Cultural Significance

The society and the cultural significance of water poverty are that its impacts are related to the use and the reuse of the same water.

• The relationship between people and the environment is very much embedded in culture and the society.
• Given its vital role, water has always had cultural significance. Almost all cultures developed around basic water elements.
• Tribes settled on the banks of water bodies.
• There used to be cultures and societies based on irrigation and these cultures were as diverse as those followed in ancient Rome, China, India, Mesopotamia, pre-Columbian Mexico, and Peru cultures.
• Sociocultural factors play a vital role in how people perceive water scarcity and water for sanitation use as well as hygiene practices like hand washing.

Global Financial Support

When it comes to global financial support, many targets are there to ensure clean water and sanitation for all people worldwide.

• As mentioned, there are several global targets, like safe and affordable drinking water by the year 2030, ending up the defecation and providing access to sanitation and hygiene.
• Improving water quality and reducing wastewater can be done through treatment and safe reuse, by efficiently using water and ensuring freshwater supplies, and supporting local engagement in water and drainage management.
• The project in global financial support is being, and will, be done.
• Children are at high risk when it comes to water-related diseases.

We need better measures to improve school attendance and a positive long-term future for the kids.

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