Water is life. It is a fact that without water, your body cannot function properly, and you cannot survive for long. With the human body being made up of almost 60% water, it is a clear depiction that water is essential for living.
Water has several body functions, including protecting body organs, carrying oxygen and nutrients to cells, regulating body temperature, and reducing the liver and kidney burden by removing waste products.
The sad reality is that despite water being a primary necessity, billions of people globally cannot access clean drinking water. 40% of Sub-Saharan Africa cannot access clean water, and 14 African countries suffer from unclean water stresses.
Facts on Lack of Clean Drinking Water Sources
Individuals in the developed nations take clean drinking water for granted since it is not scarce. On the other hand, the majority of countries in developing nations understand its importance.
Many people in developing countries end up struggling with a lack of water or drinking contaminated water. Here are surprising facts about water scarcity globally:
- According to WHO, 4% of all deaths and an approximated 57 percent of disabilities and ill-health are caused by improper hygiene practices and poor access to clean drinking water.
- An estimated 2.1 billion people globally have no access to safe water sources.
- Approximately 8.3 million people in New York, USA, had their drinking water contaminated with viruses and bacteria.
- In India alone, more than 63 million individuals have been exposed to water from unsafe sources.
- An approximated 102 million Sub-Saharan individuals consume water from dangerous resources or surface water.
- In most provinces in South Africa, water is unavailable for two consecutive days, 60% of the time.
- Drinking water for 91% population in Nepal contains E-coli, which can result in bacterial infections.
Reasons to Warrant Clean Drinking Water Everywhere
The Director-General, WHO, Tedros Ghebreyesus, advocates for proper hygiene, sanitation and safe water globally. He stresses that these are basic requirements and not a privilege to the few. Therefore all nations must ensure everyone is accessing them.
Despite such emphasis from the DG of WHO, clean water remains a challenge for many nations. The situation requires governments to take a stand and ensure a consistent supply of clean water to everyone. Here are five key reasons why we all need access to clean drinking water and proper sanitation:
1. Provide nourishment
The human body can only last for about 3-4 days without water and about three weeks without food. It shows how much your body depends on water to function properly. For the human body’s psychological systems to function, their bodies need adequate water intake for hydration.
Water ensures your blood can consistently flow while transporting oxygen to every cell in your body. Governments and individuals need to understand the essential role of water in human life. For a healthy and active nation, you need to ensure every homestead is supplied with water fit for consumption.
2. Get rid of toxins
Toxins in our bodies are a result of bodily reactions or from external sources. When it comes to food consumption, the bowels get rid of toxins in the digestive system. The liver, lungs, and kidneys help the body detoxify naturally while clearing the path for other organs to function properly.
The critical role of water in our bodies is to clear our systems and flush out toxins. It ensures the contents in the colon do not dry out since it can result in constipation. Water also acts as a lubricant during the evacuation of the bowels.
3. Disease prevention
Lack of safe water for drinking gives rise to cases of typhoid, hepatitis and cholera. Clean water ensures you stay hydrated and healthy. Due to the high population of Africans being exposed to contaminated water, you find most countries struggle with diseases like amoeba and cholera.
Safe drinking water lubricates the joints and boosts the skin of an individual. It ensures your body is moist and healthy, leaving it attractive.
4. Appropriate sanitation facilities
Clean water has several purposes other than drinking. It ensures proper sanitation is maintained at all times. When using contaminated water to wash your clothes or body, you risk exposing yourself to disease.
Proper sanitation is critical to avoid spreading the disease to the masses, especially during cooking activities. When contaminated water is used for cooking food for large numbers, it can result in an entire clan suffering from certain diseases, leading to death. In order to have clean water ready all the time, you will need to store drinking water in proper containers. For more information, read our guide on How to Store Drinking Water Properly.
5. For food production and agriculture
Lack of safe water in many developing countries results in the use of contaminated water for food production. It means that the bacteria and virus spread to the crops and later to the people consuming them.
For healthy produce, it is critical to use water from a safe source during agriculture to ensure the end product is not contaminated. Developing countries with limited land and farming technology resources are struggling in agriculture with a lack of water and its contaminants.
Final thoughts
The fight for safe water for drinking should not be left to the governments only but also individuals and private companies. The moment both parties strive to ensure every home has clean drinking water, fewer people will suffer from contaminated water. Companies like Water Masterz have made it their mission to have clean water in as many homes as they can.
We should take it upon ourselves to avoid environmental hazards that contaminate water sources to ensure these sources can provide safe water. On the other hand, private investors should work with different governments in developing countries to provide CSRs like boreholes and other safe water sources.
