According to a recent report of the World Health Organization (WHO), a total of 748 million people lack access to clean water on a regular basis in the world and an estimated 1.8 billion people are exposed to contaminated water.
Do we waste water? Yes, we do. When it comes to water it is criminal. There are five common ways of destroying this precious commodity.
One, keeping the tap running when shaving or brushing teeth. Two, showering for extraordinary long periods. Three, throwing away used water when it could be flung on the grass. Running sprinklers for longer than necessary. Not fixing leakages in pipes and plumbing.
If you are guilty of even one of these indiscretions, read this report released last week. The report indicates that 2.5 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation, and one billion practice open defecation, or nine people out of 10 in rural areas.
These are the main conclusions of the report “GLASS 2014,” a study conducted every two years by WHO with this edition entitled, “Investing in Water and Sanitation: Increasing Access, Reducing Inequalities.”
The report recalls that access to safe water and adequate sanitation has implications for a wide range of issues, including reducing infant mortality through maternal health, combating infectious diseases and reducing health and environmental costs.
The study shows that over the past two decades, 2.3 billion people gained access to improved drinking water sources. In the same period the number of child deaths from diarrheal diseases — very much related to sanitation — decreased from 1.5 million in 1990 to 600,000 in 2012.
Maria Neira, director of the WHO Department of Public Health and the Environment, praised the improvement, but noted that the figure was still too large. The study also estimates that every dollar invested in water and sanitation can provide a return of $4.30 in reducing health care costs, increasing productivity in the workplace and creating new jobs in industries related to waste management.
The study also emphasizes the importance of focusing on sanitation, given that more than 75 percent of the funds are invested in providing access to drinking water.
