Water is fundamental for life and health. The human right to water is indispensable for leading a healthy life in human dignity. It is a pre-requisite to the realization of all other human rights.
			The United Nations Committee on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights

We don’t think twice when we turn on the tap and enjoy a glass of water, have a shower or flush the toilet. In Australia, these daily occurrences are often taken for granted. While Australia does grapple with drought and water scarcity, people around the world struggle to access clean water and sanitation.

Access to water is not just a humanitarian issue because increased access to clean water and infrastructure for sanitation brings with it huge economic gains. The UN water agency estimates that every year unsafe water and inadequate sanitation causes the death of 1.6 million children under five years of age and at any one time half the world’s hospital beds are filled with people suffering from water borne diseases. These deaths and illnesses are preventable if we put the appropriate funds into providing adequate access to water and sanitation.
Women and children often have to walk large distances or wait in queues for hours to access water supplies, leaving children tired for school and women exhausted.

Fact 1: The World Health Organisation estimated in 2004 that 1.6 billion people lack access to clean water and 2.6 billion people lack basic sanitation.

Fact 2: Goal 7 of the Millennium Development Goals is to Ensure Environmental Sustainability by the year 2015. The world is roughly on track to reach clean water target but will be half a billion people short of reaching the sanitation
target.

Fact 3: The UN Water agency estimates that only 1% of the total water resources of the world is available for human use – the rest being saltwater or ice.

Fact 4: By 2025, two thirds of the world’s population will live in an area that faces moderate to severe water shortages.

Be Active: take part in World Water Day on March 22.

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