Did you know?

• Lack of access to safe drinking-water and adequate sanitation costs countries between 1% and 7% of their annual gross domestic product (GDP) (WSP-Africa, 2012).

• For every US $1 invested on water and sanitation improvement, there is an economic benefit of US$3 – US $34.

• For every US $1 invested on sustaining improved quality of drinking water , there is a US$5 – US$60 benefit.

Instructor Resources:

www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/wsh0404summary/

Economic Benefits of Water Purification and Sanitation Systems “The economic benefits of investing in drinking-water and sanitation come in several forms:

• health-care savings by health agencies and individuals; • productive days gained per year (for those 15-59 years of age) and increased school attendance; • time savings (working days gained) resulting from more convenient access to services; • value of deaths averted (based on future earnings).” Source Evaluation of the Costs and Benefits of Water and Sanitation Improvements at the Global Level. WHO, 2004

Impact on the developed world

• • • Per capita, U.S. citizens are the most profligate water users in the world.

It is estimated that by 2050, the population of California will have tripled to 60 million Case study : California ( http://faculty.washington.edu/categ/healthanddevgbf/wordpress/wp content/uploads/2010/03/Access-to-Safe-Drinking-Water.pdf

) • • • • • demonstrates how the impact of the decline in access to safe drinking water in the developed world could be compounded by the decline of the emerging economies.

Growth in the developed world may therefore also suffer from loss of export markets in the emerging and developing world.

Decline in travel and tourism.

Rising labor costs in agriculture and industry.

Lower productivity due to an increased health burden

Good health begins with access to clean water.

• 1/8 th of the worlds population doesn’t have access to safe drinking water • Over 80% of disease in developing countries is related to poor drinking water and sanitation.

• Every day 4,500 children under the age of 5 die due to water related illness http://www.dropinthebucket.org

http://www.worldbank.org

Common poor water and sanitation-related diseases

• • • • • • • • • •

Diarrhoea Arsenicosis Cholera Fluorosis Guinea worm disease Intestinal worms Malaria Schistosomiasis Trachoma Typhoid

These are some examples of poor water/sanitation related diseases found around the globe. LEARNING ACTIVITY: For each disease please write a short report/description for each disease. The report should take half a page which should include the following for each disease.

1. mode of transmission (bacteria, virus or insect) 2. the global location (some may be more region specific) 3. biological cause of illness 4. is there a specific gender or age range more susceptible to this disease 5. preventative methods to avoid catching or spreading the disease