What’s the Significance of a Clean Water Initiative?
You may wonder why a clean water initiative is even necessary. In developed countries, clean water is readily available. All a person must do to obtain water is turn on a faucet. Water filters are built into refrigerators or can be easily purchased. Bottled purified water is also easily obtained. But this is not the case for millions of people worldwide who lack access to clean water.
Consider the following:
- It’s estimated one in three people worldwide don’t have access to safe drinking water.1
- More than 25 percent of the population in sub-Saharan Africa must walk 30 minutes or more just to collect water.2
- Some 159 million people collect their drinking water directly from surface water sources, which may be contaminated.3
- Contaminated drinking water is estimated to cause 485,000 diarrheal deaths each year, while many more people suffer from diseases such cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio transmitted by such water.4
- Approximately 80 percent of illnesses in developing countries are attributed to unclean water and poor sanitation.5
- According to the World Health Organization, 1.6 million deaths of children per year can be attributed to unsafe water, poor sanitation, and lack of hygiene.6
The United Nations instituted World Water Day to raise awareness for the substantial need for clean water and recently declared its access a basic human right.7 Various other organizations have clean water projects and initiatives to address the need.
As part of GFA World’s efforts to serve “the least of these,” the organization’s clean water initiatives have helped more than 38 million people receive safe, pure drinking water.
This has been accomplished by installing Jesus Wells in communities that lack access to clean water and distributing BioSand water filters in areas where water is available but unsafe to drink.
These initiatives impact entire communities, contributing to their development and transformation by ensuring people have access to clean water and helping them live healthy lives. Fresh, clean water improves every aspect of life. When people are not constantly battling waterborne diseases—and don’t have to walk long distances to collect water—adults can work to provide for their families and children can attend school, helping them achieve a brighter future.
1 “Goal 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all.” United Nations. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/. Accessed August 12, 2021.
2 “Water Inequality.” National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/article/water-inequality/. Accessed August 12, 2021.
3 “Clean Water and Sanitation: A Global Report Card.” National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/clean-water-and-sanitation-global-report-card/. Accessed August 12, 2021.
4 “Drinking-water.” World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water. June 14, 2019.
5 “10 Ways Access to Clean Water Can Improve the World.” Ohio University. https://onlinemasters.ohio.edu/blog/access-to-clean-water/. March 2, 2021.
6 “Water Supply & Sanitation.” World Water Council. https://www.worldwatercouncil.org/en/water-supply-sanitation. Accessed August 11, 2021.
7 “Goal 6: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all.” United Nations. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/. Accessed August 12, 2021.