““All is born of water; all is sustained by water.”
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Imagine a world without access to safe drinking water. You go to the sink, but it’s not working. The fridge, and the water cooler aren’t an option either. Where would you go if the stores can’t sell you water? How would your community respond? Every person, big or small, needs water every day to stay healthy, yet over 2 billion people worldwide don’t have access to safe drinking water. The water crisis impacts health and sanitation, our environment, climate, and our economies. Texas Water Mission works with communities to provide potable water and hygiene solutions. In this blog post we explain the global water crisis, why it’s happening, and what we can do about it.
Filling water containers by truck in Haiti.
Global water crisis, explained
Over 2.2 billion people (approximately 1 in 4) worldwide lack access to safely managed drinking water sources. This means they don't have reliable access to water that is safe for drinking, cooking, and sanitation. Why? There is the same amount of fresh water on Earth today as there was millions of years ago - but so much less of it is safe and available to us.
The reasons for this global crisis are varied and related to one another. A growing population has increased demand for potable water. At the same time, infrastructure for delivering safe water has not scaled to match population growth. Additionally, climate change is making weather patterns more severe and difficult to predict.
Texas Water Mission began working in Honduras after Hurricane Mitch (1998) destroyed water delivery and filtration systems, forcing many residents to source their drinking water from unpurified sources such as rivers and streams full of mud and other runoff, and becoming sick with water borne diseases such as cholera. In the ensuing years, the rainy season has become more intense, and the dry season, significantly dryer so that communities must navigate the complex problem of how to source, store, maintain, and deliver clean water throughout the overwhelming rainy season, and the arid dry season.
Pollution has also worsened the global water crisis. Contamination of water sources by manufacturing industries has reduced the variety and availability of clean water to communities that desperately need it. There are two categories of pollution, legal and illegal. Legal pollution is the amount of pollution a company is permitted to emit. Many people are unaware how much pollution is permitted by the government despite the damaging effects on the local ecosystems. Illegal pollution is unsanctioned and is emitted by both corporations and individuals. Pollution can be illegal in it’s volume, composition, and/or location.
Handwashing station and emergency supplies provided by Texas Water Mission during COVID to Navajo households without running water.
Health Issues
Lack of safe water often results in severe health consequences. Contaminated water is a leading cause of waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, and dysentery. These diseases result in millions of deaths each year, particularly affecting children in developing countries. There are 2.2 million diarrhea related deaths globally each year due to unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene. These deaths are completely preventable. When communities are given access to safe drinking water and waste treatment, disease and death from waterborne illnesses decreases dramatically.
Inadequate access to safe water also impacts sanitation facilities. Lack of proper sanitation infrastructure and hygiene practices further contribute to the spread of diseases. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) defines sanitation as “…having access to facilities for the safe disposal of human waste (feces and urine), as well as having the ability to maintain hygienic conditions, through services such as garbage collection, industrial/hazardous waste management, and wastewater treatment and disposal.” Sanitation in this context refers to the proper handling and disposal of water. Improper practices can destroy any water system.
Haitian children transporting drinking water.
ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSQUENCES
ECONOMIC: The global water crisis has significant economic implications. Water scarcity affects agricultural productivity, making it harder for farmers to grow crops and raise livestock. Lack of water also hinders industrial development and economic growth in affected regions. “Clean water is a key factor for economic growth. Deteriorating water quality is stalling economic growth, worsening health conditions, reducing food production, and exacerbating poverty in many countries.” said World Bank Group President David Malpass. Women and girls often bear the burden of the economic impacts of water scarcity, as they are responsible for fetching water, which can limit their educational and economic opportunities.
ENVIRONMENTAL: Water scarcity can also lead to environmental degradation. Overexploitation of groundwater and unsustainable water management result in depletion of water sources, affecting ecosystems, biodiversity, and freshwater habitats. Researchers recently discovered that overuse of groundwater may impact the Earth’s degree of tilt. The change is slight but measurable. This happens because of the constant pull on the Earth’s fresh water supply and is an example of the impact of the need for clean and safe water.
Changing weather patterns, including droughts and floods, affect water availability and quality. Rising global temperatures contribute to the melting of glaciers, which are essential sources of freshwater for many communities. The United States Environmental Protection Agency published a related article that says “Climate change threatens the quality of source water through increased runoff of pollutants and sediment, decreased water availability from drought and saltwater intrusion, as well as adversely affecting overall efforts to maintain water quality.” Other issues that affect water quality and are interrelated with climate change include:
Unpredictable rainfall patterns
Water stress
Shrinking ice sheets
Agriculture irrigation
Saltwater intrusion
The combination of rising sea levels, degraded coastal ecosystems, and drought can cause saltwater intrusion. This is the process by which saltwater reaches available fresh water and degrades the source. This can be reduced by limiting the amount of freshwater that is being removed from the ground on an annual basis.
Construction of rainwater cistern in Mombin Crochu, Haiti
what can we do?
It is important that people not only have access to safe water but can maintain and preserve that water. Existing methods must be used, and additional techniques developed, to capture, filter and store potable water to more sustainably meet water needs. It is important to be aware of issues such as climate change, and to take proactive steps to alleviate the global water and sanitation crises.
Efforts by governments, communities, families and individuals are needed to address and arrest the worsening water crisis. National, state and local governments must create / improve policies and provide funding to support safe water initiatives such as:
Water infrastructure investments
Improved water management practices
Health and hygiene education
Sustainable water resource management
Benefits of such a multi-faceted approach would reach far and wide with active participation from all stakeholders. We support the use of these practical solutions, which can be carried out by various combinations of governmental and non-governmental organizations, corporations, community groups, and individuals.:
Infrastructure Development and Investment: This includes building and maintaining water treatment plants, pipelines, and distribution networks to ensure the availability of clean water to communities. Governments, international organizations, and the private sector can collaborate to fund and implement these projects, particularly in areas with the greatest need.
Promotion of Water Conservation and Efficiency: Encouraging water conservation and efficient water use is crucial in tackling the clean water crisis. Education and awareness promote responsible water consumption practices at the individual, household, and community levels. Implementing water-saving technologies and practices would be beneficial, especially in rural communities. Examples include:
Low-flow plumbing fixtures
Rainwater harvesting systems
Efficient irrigation methods
Sanitation and hygiene improvement: Access to safe water alone is not enough if proper sanitation facilities and hygiene practices are lacking. Implementing programs that focus on providing sanitation infrastructure, such as toilets and wastewater treatment systems, along with hygiene education, can significantly reduce waterborne diseases. This includes promoting hand-washing with soap, proper waste disposal, and menstrual hygiene management.
Health and Hygiene workshop in the town of Quebrada Grande, Honduras.
Texas Water Mission currently works in Honduras and the Navajo Nation to help these two water-stressed geographies find practical solutions to their water issues. One of TWM’s income sources for water wells, cisterns, filtration, and health and hygiene training, is the sale of Honduran coffee. Gourmet beans from small sustainable coffee farms in the El Paraiso region of Honduras are exported raw and roasted to order near San Antonio. If you would like to support TWM’s safe water initiatives, purchasing this deliciously rich and smooth coffee can help! Your hands on support via volunteer activities is also welcomed. Please click on either or both of the buttons below for more information.