Global Water Crisis Facts

• 1.1 billion people do not have access to a safe and adequate water supply [1]
• 2.4 billion people lack access to improved sanitation [2]
• Each year more than five million people die from water-related disease [3]
• The leading cause of child death in the world is diarrhea [4]
• The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80% of all sickness in the world is attributable to unsafe water and sanitation [5]
• At any given time, half the people in developing countries are suffering from water-related diseases [6]
• Of the 37 major diseases in developing countries, 21 are water and sanitation related [7]
• If no action is taken to address unmet human needs for water, as many as 135 million people will die from water-related diseases by 2020 [8]
• Even if the explicit Millennium Goals announced by the United Nations in 2000 are achieved, between 34 and 76 million people will perish from water-related diseases by 2020 [9]