FACTS AND FIGURES ON GLOBAL WATER CRISIS SITUATION

Water it is said is life. Is there another thing more essential to life on planet earth than water? Recently commemorated, World Water Day was celebrated on March 22, 2021 with theme "Value Water". From Africa to the larger universe, there is substantial global water crisis. People continue to struggle with access to quantity and quality water for drinking, cooking, bathing, hand washing as well as growing food but not limited to these. Truly, tremendous progress is evident in making clean water accessible to approximately 2.6 billion people in developing countries from 1990 to 2015 with an increase of 76% to 91% WORLD VISION (2021) while Sustainable Development Goal 6 tackles Clean Water and Sanitation.  Here are important facts to note about the facts and figures on global water crisis.

• Globally, 844 million people lack access to clean water

• Women and children are worst off affected 

• The average woman in rural Africa walks 6 kilometers everyday to get 40 pounds of water

• 800 children under the age of 5 globally die from diarrhea due to poor water and sanitation

• 90% of all natural disasters are water related

• By 2025, an estimated 1.8 billion people will live in areas plagued by water scarcity

• 2/3 of the world’s population is living in water stressed regions

• 780 million people live without clean drinking water

• More than 1/3 of Africa’s population lacks access to safe drinking water

• More than 2 billion people worldwide rely on wells for their water

• Agriculture accounts for 70% of global fresh water withdrawals and up to 90% in fast growing economies

• Over the past 40 years, the world’s population has doubled while the use of water has quadrupled

• Water related disease diarrhea kills 1 child every 60 seconds

• About 22% of health facilities in least developed countries have no safe water

• More people die from unsafe water than from all forms of violence, including war

• 1 in 4 people lack access to toilette or latrine

• At least 443 million school days are lost each year due to water related diseases

• Humans can only access a small percentage of the world’s water

• Nearly 97% of the world’s water is salty and thus undrinkable with another 2% locked in ice caps and glaciers living just 1% for all of humanity needs

• In 2019, water scarcity affected 2.3 billion people globally

• The top three water stressed countries in the world are Qatar, Bahrain and United Arab Emirate

• Egypt is the driest country in the world with only 51mm of rain per year

• By the end of next decade, water scarcity will displace between 24 million and 700 people all over the world

• Farming accounts for approximately 70% of the world’s water usage

• 1.6 million people die every year from water borne diseases

• Meeting the United Nation’s sustainable goal for water crisis will cost $114 billion per year

• The world is running out of water

     MAAGBOR WELISANE.