The Global Mission For Safe Drinking Water

Safe drinking water is not available to everyone around the world. In a recent report by the World Health Organisation, 1 in 3 people globally do not have access to safe drinking water. 

While most of us in the western world take clean water for granted, there are those in the world who see it as a vital source of life. 

Water is an essential resource for the human body to survive, and to remain clean. Without clean water, illnesses spread and people cannot thrive.  

The global mission for safe drinking water is something which continues to this day. 

Billions of people now have access to clean water, but huge inequalities still exist on an international scale. 

Since 1990, 2.6 billion people have gained access to ‘improved’ drinking water. But in 2015, 663 million people still drank water from contaminated sources. 

In order to make drinking water available to people around the world, more awareness must be built on the issue at hand. 

To build awareness for the mission for safe drinking water, we’ve revealed the latest data and the charities taking action.  

Facts on Safe Drinking Water 

• In 41 countries, a fifth of people drink water from a source that is not protected from contamination. 
• 2 billion people use drinking water contaminated with faeces. 
• Contaminated drinking water is estimated to cause 485,000 diarrhoeal deaths per year. 
• Every minute a newborn dies from infection caused by lack of safe water. 
• 31% of schools don’t have safe drinking water. 
• The average person in the UK uses around 150 litres of water per day. That’s 30 buckets of water.
• Diarrhoea caused by dirty water kills a child under 5 every 2 minutes. 
• 44 million school days are lost every year because of water-related illnesses. 

Why Safe Drinking Water Matters 

It may be hard to imagine life without water, but that is the situation that millions of people face every day around the world. 

Without safe drinking water, women and children must walk hours to streams and lakes. Water that could be contaminated by animal or human faceases. 

Without clean water, many young girls have to drop out of school.

Polluted water isn’t just dirty, it is deadly to those who use it. Around 1.8 million people die every year of diseases picked up from dirty water. Others become seriously ill or gain life changing defects. Many of which are preventable with safe water. 

The United Nations considers access to clean water a basic human right.  Water-poor communities are often economically poor, and their people are trapped in an ongoing cycle of poverty and ill-health. 

Top Ten Worst Countries for Basic Water Needs

1. Ethiopia
2. Chad
3. Madagascar 
4. South Sudan 
5. Eritrea 
6. Niger 
7. Benin
8. Togo
9. Ghana
10. Sierra Leone

WaterAid 

Established in 1981, WaterAid is a charity organisation made up of leaders in the water industry. 

At the time, there was no charity like it in the world. 

WaterAid’s mission is to make safe and clean water available to those in third world countries. So far, they’ve reached 24.9 million with clean water, and 24 million with decent toilets. 

With their combined mission to make clean water available for everyone in the world, WaterAid try to reach some of the most remote parts of the world to not only provide them with safe water services, but to educate them on hygiene. 

WaterAid work alongside international governments and organisations such as the World Health Organisation to raise awareness for water poverty. 

From their research, it has been found that women’s lives in particular are most affected by lack of safe water. This is due to the long distances they must walk to collect dirty water. As well as the fact that girls have to drop out of school because there are no private toilets to manage their periods. 

At WaterAid they continue to focus on clean water, improved sanitation, and proper hygiene. These elements are all interlinked and can make an impact on global poverty. 

Oxfam

Oxfam was founded in 1995 by a group of independent non-government organisations. Their aim is to reduce poverty and injustice internationally. 

The name ‘Oxfam’ originates from the Oxford Committee for Famine Relief. Founded in Britain in 1942 during the Second World War. The group campaigned for food supplies to be sent to starving women and children in enemy-occupied Greece. 

As well as delivering emergency relief across the world, Oxfam International also create long-term programs to support vulnerable communities. 

While they are not as water-specific as WaterAid, Oxfam holds World Water Week every year to build water systems in poverty-stricken areas. 

Since the beginning of their Water Week campaign in 2015, Oxfam has distributed more than 15,000 buckets for water collection and storage. 

UNICEF 

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was established in 1946 by the United Nations to meet the emergency needs of children in post-war Europe and China. 

UNICEF is part of the United Nations and works in over 190 countries to protect the rights of every child.

Every day, over 800 children die from preventable diseases caused by poor water, and a lack of sanitation. 

While UNICEF predominantly provides emergency relief to children in worn-torn countries, or those living in third world territories, they also create programs to help children thrive. 

At present UNICEF are working with governments in more than 113 countries to build WASH systems. 

In 2017, they helped install WASH facilities in more than 8,000 schools and 1,500 health-care centres. This means more children are able to learn and gain medical help without risking disease. 

UNICEF is aiming to provide 60 million more people worldwide with access to safe drinking water by 2021. 

These organisations are working together for the global mission of safe drinking water. As the data and case studies reveal, water poverty is still a modern problem around the world that harms millions of people every year. 

By fully understanding the impact of water-poverty, we can all play our small part in supporting campaigns and building an awareness of the ongoing issue.