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Access To Clean Water & Challenges in Developing Countries

Clean water is a primary necessity of all living things. However, many places in the world lack access to clean drinking water. The situation is especially adverse in developing countries, where people face daily challenges to access clean water. Water issues include poor water infrastructure, droughts and floods, contamination of large damns and rivers, and shortage of drinking water. The major causes of water issues in developing countries include climate change, poor governance, and poverty.

Contaminated and Unhygienic water is still a big problem across the globe mostly because of the human practices that contaminate the quality of water bodies. Open defecation is another major cause that persists in developing counties. This further increases the health risk and generates many severe diseases like malaria, diarrhea, and cholera. Several people die due to these diseases. There is an estimation that approximately 1.5 million children die every year due to diarrhea.

Unequal distribution of water in different places across the world makes it even challenging for people living in under-developed or developing countries to access clean water. People in developing nations try to get clean water from various sources like aquifers, surface water, or groundwater that is often polluted to due negligence and hazardous industrial practices. In the past few decades, development has been made to improve the access to clean water but it is not enough that everyone can easily access clean drinking water.

Rising Demand

As the population is increasing day by day, the demand to access clean water is also increasing. People need clean water for their personal care, agriculture, commerce, industry, and most importantly for survival. As per UN World Water Development, approximately 4 billion people that is almost two-thirds of the world population suffer from an extreme shortage of water. The supply and quality of water decrease as the demand increases.

Water usage is increasing rapidly across the world. It is expected to continue increasing the demand for global water until 2050.

 

Contamination

Contamination is the major cause that decreases the amount of water for sanitation, industrial, agriculture, and consumption process. Different water qualities can be used for different purposes such as you must need clean and fresh water for drinking but the water that is unhealthy for humans can be used for agriculture and industrial purpose. Various areas in the world suffering from extreme water quality deterioration that make the water unfit for industrial or agriculture purposes as well.

Contaminated water can include various chemical and biological contaminants such as salts, viruses, bacteria, metals (iron and arsenic), and protozoa. The usage of contaminated water can lead to deadly diseases like cholera, fever, diarrhea, and dysentery. Around 71% of illnesses in developing nations due to poor sanitation and water.

People across the globe experiencing the worst challenges to get clean drinking water. So, if you have access to clean water then, make sure you do not waste it.

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