Water and sanitation
Clean water saves lives.
Two and a half billion people have no access to basic sanitation and 900 million people no clean water.
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Water
People cannot live without water, and the daily toil involved in fetching it is a defining feature of poverty.
But water is not just essential for life. It is a human right and the cornerstone of development, underpinning every single one of the MDGs. This means that unless we tackle water issues now, development efforts in areas such as health, education and economic growth will not achieve their full potential. In fact, improving water and sanitation services and managing water well are among the most effective ways of boosting economies and reducing poverty.
Sanitation
Two and a half billion people have no access to basic sanitation. Simply providing clean water does not resolve the many health problems and related issues that arise if sanitation is not available. Improved sanitation cuts disease, saves thousands of lives each year and reduces healthcare costs by billions of pounds.
