Many individuals either do not realise that there is a global water crisis or even if they do, they do not realise just how bad it actually is, and this is most probably due to the fact that they have no idea of the statistics.
For those of us living in first world, developed countries, it is difficult to imagine that there actually is a water crisis at all due to the fact that we can just open a tap and water comes out – clean, potable water, even if it does sometimes have a bit of a chemical taste or smell – others are not that lucky.
What are the Statistics of the Global Water Crisis?
Taking stock of the figures involved in the global water crisis may make it easier to imagine why so many scientists and ecologist are going on so much about the fact that there is global warming, that we are running out of water, and that we need to take care of our water resources.
Here are some facts and figures to chew on:
- Approximately 783 million people worldwide do not have access to clean, safe water, and around 37% of those individuals live in Sub-Saharan Africa;
- 1 out of every 9 people globally does not have access to clean drinking water;
- Nearly 1 in 5 deaths under the age of 5 worldwide is due to a water-related disease;
- Less than one in three people in Sub-Saharan Africa have access to hygienic sanitation;
- More than 50% of the developing world’s primary schools do not have access to clean water and sanitation facilities. Lack of toilets often causes girls drop out at puberty;
- 70% of our water sources globally are used for agriculture and irrigation, and only 10% on domestic uses;
- 443 million school days are lost annually due to water-related diseases;
- Up to 80% of illnesses in developing countries are linked to unpotable water and unhygienic sanitation conditions;
- Approximately 50% of all hospital beds globally are filled with people suffering from a water-related disease;
- Twice as many girls as boys under the age of 15 are responsible for fetching water, sometimes from as far as 10 kilometres away;
- According to the United Nations, Sub-Saharan Africa loses an estimated 40 billion hours per year collecting water, which is equivalent to an entire year’s labour in all of France;
- Providing clean water to all could afford young children around the world more than 413 million days of health;
- 84% of people without access to clean water live in rural areas, existing mainly through subsistence agriculture;
- Almost 64% of households where there is no water source in the home rely on women to get the family’s water;
- Research has shown that by investing in clean water the literacy rate in women can go up vastly, and for every 10% increase in women’s literacy, a country’s entire economy can grow by up to 0.3%
- According to the World Health Organization, for every 64p invested in water and sanitation, there is an economic return of between £2 and £22
Hopefully now that you have been given some of the statistics of our global water crisis you too will understand why it is necessary to use water frugally and save, recycle and reuse water when you can.
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