Water Issues Human Development Report 2006 Beyond scarcity: Power, poverty and the global water crisis Mary Robinson

Lack of Water and Sanitation Today, some 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water, and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation. Today, some 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water, and 2.6 billion lack basic sanitation. While basic needs vary, the minimum threshold is about 20 liters of water a day. While basic needs vary, the minimum threshold is about 20 liters of water a day.

Water Inequities Most of the 1.1 billion people categorized as lacking access to clean water use about 5 liters a day—one tenth of the average daily amount used in rich countries to flush toilets. Most of the 1.1 billion people categorized as lacking access to clean water use about 5 liters a day—one tenth of the average daily amount used in rich countries to flush toilets.

Water Inequities When a European person flushes a toilet or an American person showers, he or she is using more water than is available to hundreds of millions of individuals living in urban slums or arid areas of the developing world. When a European person flushes a toilet or an American person showers, he or she is using more water than is available to hundreds of millions of individuals living in urban slums or arid areas of the developing world. Dripping taps in rich countries lose more water than is available each day to more than 1 billion people. Dripping taps in rich countries lose more water than is available each day to more than 1 billion people.

The Human Cost Some 1.8 million child deaths each year as a result of diarrhea—4,900 deaths each day or an under-five population equivalent in size to that for London and New York combined. Some 1.8 million child deaths each year as a result of diarrhea—4,900 deaths each day or an under-five population equivalent in size to that for London and New York combined. Together, unclean water and poor sanitation are the world’s second biggest killer of children. Together, unclean water and poor sanitation are the world’s second biggest killer of children.

Source Human Development Report 2006 Beyond scarcity: Power, poverty and the global water crisis