World Water Day
 |
|
Residents line up for water in a camp for internally displaced persons
in Uganda
Credit: Kim Burns, USAID/Uganda |
|
Lack of Access to Clean Drinking Water and Proper Sanitation is a Growing Challenge
Nearly 1.2 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water, according to the World Health Organization, and 2.6 billion do not have access to basic sanitation. As a result, each year about 3.1 million children and adults worldwide die from water-related illnesses such as diarrhea and malaria.
The lack of clean water, combined with the lack of basic sanitation and basic hygiene education, is one of the largest obstacles to progress and development in the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa .
World Water Day and World Water Forum
March 22 was designated by the United Nations as World Water Day to draw international attention to the critical lack of clean, safe drinking water worldwide. It is a time when we are encouraged to pause and consider the largest public health issue of our time – the global scarcity of clean water.
In addition, the 4th World Water Forum, the main international event on water, was held March 16-22, 2006, in Mexico City, Mexico, with a focus on the theme of Local Actions for a Global Challenge.
Additional Facts about Water in Africa and Worldwide
• The lack of clean water kills almost 4,500 children per day
• Every day in Africa, women and girls especially, walk as many as 6 miles to fetch water
• Rapid urbanization is leading to increased pressure on water resources
• The world will require 55 percent more food by 2030, increasing the demand for irrigation which already accounts for 70 percent of all freshwater used by humans
Sources: WHO, UNESCO
USAID's Water and Sanitation Programs
USAID's drinking water supply and sanitation projects in Africa and worldwide address the availability of clean and adequate supplies of drinking water to rural and urban communities, and the protection of these supplies from contamination by improper handling of domestic water supplies, household waste, and inadequate sanitation.
The Water for the Poor Initiative managed by the USAID has provided more than 24 million people with improved access to drinking water and more than 26 million people with access to sanitation. The United States has also worked to catalyze action and improve donor coordination through a number of partnerships in areas including issues related to water and health, transboundary water, integrated water resources management, and innovative approaches to financing to mobilize capital for water related infrastructure. [more]
The West Africa Water Initiative (WAWI), launched in 2002, uses both USAID and private resources to target water and sanitation activities for rural and peri-urban communities in three West African countries: Ghana , Mali , and Niger . In its initial phase, the initiative invested in small-scale potable water supply and sanitation activities in these three countries. [more]
Highlights of USAID's Water and Sanitation Activities in Africa
Providing Access to Safe Water in Madagascar
USAID in Madagascar promotes safe water treatment as a simple, inexpensive, and effective water quality intervention. USAID recruited small restaurants in urban areas to use water treated with a disinfectant solution called Sur'Eau (safe water) for their clients' drinking water, to prepare food, and to wash vegetables, dishes, and hands. [more]
Clean Drinking Water is a Lifesaver In Mali
In Mali, lack of clean drinking water, which leads to potentially fatal diseases like cholera and diarrhea, is the second highest cause of death among infants in this mostly desert country. Nearly 113 out of every 1000 infants die before their first birthday. To help address the country's water challenges, USAID formed a partnership with Moving Water Industries, the West African Water Initiative (WAWI), the Government of Mali, and local community leaders to provide an adequate and reliable supply of potable water to villages desperately in need. [more]
Getting a Drink of Water in the African Desert
To get a glass of water in Mauritania, a country that is 75 percent desert, is a difficult task. People had to stand in line at government installed water "fountains" fighting each other and animals for a chance to fill their containers. USAID support helped build 42 water storage cisterns around Nouakchott , the capital city, which now provide 12,000 people in the capital city with clean water. [more]
Villages Gain Access to Fresh Water
Villagers across southern Sudan struggle daily to find water. The sources they find are often contaminated and may cause infection from Guinea worm, cholera or other diseases. USAID is working to provide safe drinking water and empower communities to manage and maintain this precious resource. Within three months, 15 village committees and communities had been trained to operate and manage eight new boreholes. [more]
Farmers Collect the Rain in Ethiopia
In Ethiopia , farmers learned how to build concrete water collection basins to collect rainwater to stabilize their water supply for crops. These basins are helping farmers grow more food and improve nutrition. [more]
For additional information about USAID's efforts to help improve access to safe and adequate water supply and sanitation, visit USAID's Water and Costal Resources page
Back to Top ^
|
