Although health is a very important, there are a lot of curable health issues that can be eliminated with the removal purification of water resources. In fact, in 2003, “developing countries, as much as 80% of illnesses are linked to poor water and sanitation conditions” (United Nations, 2003). These diseases are more likely to affect children.
According to Water for Children Africa, “85% of all diseases in African children under 5 are caused by water-borne illnesses” (Water For Children Africa). On a global scale, “1 out of every 5 deaths of children under 5 years old is due to a water related disease” (The Water Project, 2016). Water is a very precious, and scarce recourse. Although water makes up 75% of the earth, only 1% of the water is drinkable. Most of drinkable water is stored within ice glaciers.
Water scarcity is of great importance in developing countries and continents. Water scarcity issues are magnified with water pollution. According to the Environmental Pollution Center “Water pollution is defined as the presence in groundwater of toxic chemicals and biological agents that exceed what is naturally found in the water and may pose a threat to human health and/or the environment” (Environmental Pollution Centers, 2017). The combination of lack and sanitation and unsanitary activities “like open defecation, solid waste disposal and wastewater disposal” (United Nations, 2014) leads to many fecal related diseases.