Providing safe drinking water: a challenge for humanity

Abstract

The importance of continuing the development of a safe water supply for humanity across the globe cannot be overstressed. Safe water is necessary for health and well being and is a basic human right. Historically, in industrialized countries, virtually all diseases, such as cholera, polio, and typhoid fever were eliminated in communities where safe and clean drinking water was made available. The same would be the case in developing countries if safe and clean water supplies were to become available. No amount of medical supplies or healthcare facilities can achieve such a goal at a reasonable cost. Developing water systems that allow over six billion people to have access to safe and clean water is no small feat. The efforts of governments and international organizations such as UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) have provided over one billion people access to clean water which they otherwise would not have had, however, there still remains over one billion people who do not have access to safe water supply. According to the 2008 UNICEF ‘‘Handbook on Water Quality,’’ insufficient water supplies coupled with poor sanitation causes 3.4 million deaths per year, which translates into someone dying every 10 s. The majority of these deaths occur in children due to their higher susceptibility to catching diseases.