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