Water and Health

At any given time, half of the world’s hospital beds are occupied by patients suffering from a water-related disease.

Nearly 90 percent of all diseases in the world are caused by unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation, and poor hygiene. Every year, there are 4 billion cases of diarrhea as a direct result of drinking contaminated water; this results in more than 2.2
million deaths each year—the equivalent of 20 jumbo jets crashing every day.

The weakest members of communities are the most vulnerable; every day water-related diseases claim the lives of 5000 children under the age of five. That’s roughly one every 15 seconds.

“Clean water and sanitation are among the most powerful preventative medicines for reducing child mortality. They are to diarrhea what immunization is to killer diseases such as measles or polio: a mechanism for reducing risk and averting death.”
- United Nations Development Program, 2006

Water and Poverty

In sub-Saharan Africa alone, 40 billion hours of labor are wasted each year carrying water over long distances.

Access to clean water is the foundation for other forms of development. Without easy access to water that is safe, countless hours are spent in water collection, household income is spent on purchasing water and medical treatment for water-related diseases. These factors contribute to keeping people trapped in poverty.

The statistics indicate a two-way relationship between extreme poverty and lack of access to safe water. More than a billion people live on less than a dollar a day, including the vast majority of those without access to safe water.

"Water management is a key factor in the global battle to remove the scourge of extreme poverty and to build secure and prosperous lives for hundreds of millions of people in the developing world." 

- World Health Organization, 2007

Water and Education

Water-related diseases cost 443 million school days a year.

More than 150 million school-age children are severely affected by waterborne parasites like roundworm, whipworm, and hookworm. These children commonly carry up to 1000 parasites at a time, causing anemia, stunted growth, and other debilitating conditions.

Children who suffer from constant water-related illnesses carry the disadvantages into school. Poor health directly reduces cognitive potential and indirectly undermines schooling through absenteeism, attention deficits, and early drop-out.

“Over half of all schools worldwide lack safe water and sanitation, jeopardizing the health and education of millions of schoolchildren. Most of the 115 million children currently out of school are girls. Many are denied their place in the classroom by lack of access to decent toilets at school, or the daily chore of walking miles to collect water.” – UNICEF, 2005

Unclean Water : A Global Crisis

Water. It is at the heart of a daily crisis faced by a billion of the world’s most vulnerable people—a crisis that threatens life and destroys livelihoods on a devastating scale.

Unlike war and terrorism, the global water crisis does not make media headlines, despite the fact that it claims more lives through disease than any war claims through guns. Unlike natural disasters, it does not rally concerted international action, despite the fact that more people die each year from drinking dirty water than from the world’s hurricanes, floods, tsunamis, and earthquakes combined.

This is a silent crisis experienced by the poor, and tolerated by those with the resources, technology, and the political power to end it. Yet this is a crisis that is holding back human progress, consigning large segments of humanity to lives of poverty, vulnerability, and insecurity.

At Living Water International, we are addressing this most basic of needs by helping deprived communities acquire safe, clean water. Our goal is to substantially ease the global water crisis while addressing root causes such as injustice, oppression, and abject poverty. As this happens, communities and worldviews are transformed—both among those in desperate physical need, and among those who have been blessed with much.

Ways I Can Help...

Blood:Water Mission
The purpose of BWM projects is to "empower communities to fight against..."  Rather than providing a hand-out, which inevitably leads to dependency and failed projects, we seek to transform communities from the inside out, enabling them to be the agents of change within their own context.  While safe water access, hygiene, and sanitation are core objectives within our water programs, the process of enabling these skills and technologies in a community ultimately leads them on a journey of self-discovery, giving communities a platform for understanding their own capabilities, assets, and most importantly self-worth.  It's not until communities are able to understand and embrace their potential, that they are fully able to utilize and sustain the projects they have worked so hard to achieve.

H2O Project
We train, consult, and equip local people to implement solutions in their own countries. We also lead hundreds of volunteers on mission trips each year, working with local communities, under the leadership of nationals, to implement water projects. It's hard to know which lives are changed more—those "serving" or those "being served." Our training programs in shallow well drilling, pump repair, and hygiene education have equipped thousands of volunteers and professionals in the basics of integrated water solutions since 1997.

How Much Water Does Your Household Use?

Click the link below to get an estimate of the number of gallons of water used in your household.  Remeber:  this is ONLY an estimate...

Household Water Usage Estimation

What is "Clean Water"?

The benefits of clean water and having plenty of safe water to drink are well known. Most of us have experienced the feeling of not getting enough water; when we feel sluggish and light-headed from being dehydrated.
Many common health problems can be avoided by all of us if we simply drink more water.
Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water helps to flush out wastes from our bodies.
Water is a transport medium for the nutrients our bodies need.
Body temperature (perspiration) is regulated by the amount of available water in our bodies.
Water also regulates the pH balance and supports a multitude of physiological processes.
Being well hydrated elevates our energy levels and can help alleviate headaches.
Severe dehydration causes a multitude of health problems, not the least of which are fatigue, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, weakness, and loss of energy.
But some people have plenty of water to drink. Take the rain forest, for instance. Water is everywhere, but people still suffer from a lack of safe, clean water. The water they find to drink is often unsafe for them to consume.
So what they need is not just any water, but they need to experience the benefits of clean water! Clean, clear and safe water.
So, what do we mean when we use the term "clean water"? In this context, we are referring to water that is safe for human consumption. “Safe” water is also a good definition. Safe water must be free from disease-causing pathogens. But water that is free of pathogens may still be clouded by sediment.
Water that is fit for human consumption must be clean and clear. It must be water that does not have offensive odor or color, making it undesirable and unpalatable, and deterring people from drinking it. It must be desirable to drink it and people must have confidence that they can give it to their family with certainty that they are giving them water that is fresh, clean, clear, healthy and safe.
Access to safe, clean water opens up a world of possibilities for community development. Without water, the most basic element of life, all other development efforts will hit a brick wall. Sanitation and hygiene, working together with a source of clean water create lasting community health and sustained human growth and development.
Just the simple act of washing hands with soap can reduce the incidence of diarrheal disease. When coupled with the use of adequate sanitation facilities and a dependable source of clean water, the multiplied effects are even greater.
As a child, disease from lack of water, sanitation and hygiene carries over into the schoolhouse. A child’s education is affected by an increase in absenteeism, decrease in cognitive potential, and increased attention deficits. Young girls often stop going to school if the school lacks adequate sanitation facilities.
With the benefits of clean water, adequate sanitation, and good hygiene in place, educated individuals grow up to be enterprising adults, who become the owners of businesses, as well as corporate, community and national leaders.
From the early years of life, throughout childhood and into adulthood, water is the common beneficial factor determining the quality of life and the possibilities of the future.

What is Water Used For?

Water is used in a number of ways that you would never expect. From automobile tires to hamburgers, water is essential in the production of many everyday items.
Here are just a few examples, as well as some other water-related trivia.

How much water does it take to process a quarter pound of hamburger?
Approximately one gallon

How much water does it take to produce one ton of steel?
62,600 gallons

How much water is used to produce a single day’s supply of U.S. newsprint?
300 million gallons

What is the total amount of water used to manufacture a new car, including new tires?
39,090 gallons per car

How much water must a dairy cow drink to produce one gallon of milk?
Four gallons

How much water is used during the growing/production of a chicken?
400 gallons

How much water is used during the growing/production of almonds?
12 gallons

How much water is used during the growing/production of french fries?
6 gallons

How much water is used during the growing/production of a single orange?
13.8 gallons

How much water is used during the growing/production of a watermelon?
100 gallons

How much water is used during the growing/production of a loaf of bread?
150 gallons

How much water is used during the growing/production of a tomato?
3 gallons

How much water us used during the production of an egg?
120 gallons

Water is the only substance found on earth naturally in three forms.
(Solid, liquid and gas)

Does water regulate the earth’s temperature?
Yes (it is a natural insulator)

At what temperature does water freeze?
32 degrees F, 0 degrees C

At what temperature does water vaporize?
212 degrees F, 100 degrees C

How long can a person live without food?
More than a month

How long can a person live without water?
Approximately one week, depending upon conditions

How much of the human body is water?
66%

How much of the earth’s surface is water?
80%

How much water must a person consume per day to maintain health?
2.5 quarts from all sources (i.e. water, food)

Of all the earth’s water, how much is ocean or seas?
97%

How much of the world’s water is frozen and therefore unusable?
2%

How much of the earth’s water is suitable for drinking water?
1%

Is it possible for me to drink water that was part of the dinosaur era?
Yes - water is constantly recycled

What is the most common substance found on earth?
Water

How much water does the average residence use during a year?
Over 100,000 gallons (indoors and outside)

How much water does an individual use daily?
Over 100 gallons (all uses)

How many community public water systems are there in the United States?
54,000

How much water do these utilities process daily?
38 billion gallons

What does it cost to operate the water systems throughout the country annually?
Over $3.5 billion

How many miles of pipeline and aqueducts are in the United States and Canada?
Approximately one million miles, or enough to circle the earth 40 times

What were the first water pipes made from in the US?
Fire charred bored logs

Where was the first municipal water filtration works opened and when?
Paisley, Scotland in 1832

Of the nation’s community water supplies, what percentage are investor-owned?
15 %

How many households use private wells for their water supply?
More than 13 million

How much water is used to flush a toilet?
2-7 gallons

How much water is used in the average five-minute shower?
15-25 gallons

How much water is used on the average for an automatic dishwasher?
9-12 gallons

On the average, how much is used to hand wash dishes?
9-20 gallons

How much does one gallon of water weigh?
8.34 pounds

What is the weight of water in one cubic foot?
62.4 pounds

How much water drops with an inch of rain on one acre of ground?
27,154 gallons, which weighs 113 tons



Courtesy of the United States Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/glossary.htm

2005 Statistics of USA Water Use

The following link contains information in reference to the water usage within the United States from 2005.

USA Water Use

Functions of Water in the Body

Functions of Water in The Body

Harmful Effects & Symptoms of Dehydration

The Harmful Effects Result from Dehydration:

• Tiredness
• Migraine
• Constipation
• Muscle cramps
• Irregular blood pressure
• Kidney problems
• Dry skin
• 20% dehydrated – Risk of death

Symptoms of Dehydration
Here are some of the symptoms that you need more water:

• Dark Urine – Dark Yellow or Orange in Color: Urine is generally pale yellow to clear when you have sufficient water intake. Dark color or strong smell indicates that you need to drink more water.
• Dry Skin: Skin is the largest body organ and requires its share of water.
• Thirst: Thirst is the most obvious sign that you're already dehydrated. It is always a good practice to drink more water when your are not thirsty, don’t wait until you're thirsty.
• Hunger: Most people mistake hunger for the indication to eat more, whereas in actual fact, they may be dehydrated. So before you have your meal, grab a glass of water.
• Fatigue: Water is a source of energy and gives you a boost in energy. 

From http://www.mangosteen-natural-remedies.com

11 Benefits of Drinking Water

1. Lose weight: Drinking water helps you lose weight because it flushes down the by-products of fat breakdown. Drinking water reduces hunger, it’s an effective appetite suppressant so you’ll eat less. Plus, water has zero calories.
2. Natural Remedy for Headache: Helps to relieve headache and back pains due to dehydration. Although many reasons contribute to headache, dehydration is the common one.
3. Look Younger with Healthier Skin: You’ll look younger when your skin is properly hydrated. Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin and increases skin elasticity.
4. Better Productivity at Work: Your brain is mostly made up of water, thus drinking water helps you think better, be more alert and more concentrated.
5. Better Exercise: Drinking water regulates your body temperature. That means you’ll feel more energetic when doing exercises. Water also helps to fuel your muscle.
6. Helps in Digestion and Constipation: Drinking water raises your metabolism because it helps in digestion. Fiber and water goes hand in hand so that you can have your daily bowel movement.
7. Less Cramps and Sprains: Proper hydration helps keep your joints and muscles lubricated, so you’ll less likely get cramps and sprains.
8. Less Likely to Get Sick and Feel Healthy: Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu and other ailments like kidney stones and heart attack. Water adds with lemon is used for ailments like respiratory disease, intestinal problems, rheumatism and arthritis etc. In another words one of the benefits of drinking water is that it can improve your immune system. 
9. Relieves Fatigue: Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body. If your body lacks water, your heart, for instance, needs to work harder to pump out the oxygenated blood to all cells, so are the rest of the vital organs, your organs will be exhausted and so will you.
10. Good Mood: Your body feels very good and that’s why you feel happy.
11. Reduce the Risk of Cancer: Related to the digestive system, some studies show that drinking a healthy amount of water may reduce the risks of bladder cancer and colon cancer. Water dilutes the concentration of cancer-causing agents in the urine and shortens the time in which they are in contact with bladder lining.

~From http://www.mangosteen-natural-remedies.com