Why Water?
A Global Crisis
Unsafe water contributes to a number of problems including access to education, healthcare, economic opportunity, gender disparities, and climate change.
Why Water?
A Global Crisis
Unsafe water contributes to a number of problems including access to education, health, economic opportunity, gender disparities, and climate change.
The Complex Challenge
Over four billion people lack access to safely managed water worldwide – a number twice as high as previously estimated.1
The Complex Challenge
Over four billion people lack access to safely managed water worldwide – a number twice as high as previously estimated.1
According to the WHO, around one million people are estimated to die each year from diseases directly attributable to unsafe water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene practices. Many of these deaths are in children under 5 years of age.2
Investing in safe water not only reduces death and disease, but also increases family income, keeps kids in school, and improves communities. It’s one of the easiest and smartest investments we can make as a society, yet half the world’s population lacks access to this fundamental human right. Access to safe water provides a basic need that lays the foundation for building a stronger, more vibrant life.
Health
Unsafe drinking water is one of the greatest single threats to human health. More than 1,000 children under the age of five die every day from diseases caused by unsafe water and sanitation.3 Most of these deaths are easily preventable.
Education
Worldwide, 29% of schools lack access to safe water and sanitation, leading to 443 million school days missed each year due to preventable water-related diseases.4, 5 Safe water helps children stay in school and build brighter futures.
Income
Sickness caused by unsafe drinking water leads to adults missing out on crucial income opportunities both for themselves and their families. Studies show that every $1 invested in water and sanitation provides a $4 economic return.6
In Latin America, 35% of the population lacks access to safely managed water services.7
Safely managed drinking water must satisfy three criteria:
- Available on demand
- Accessible on premises
- Free of priority contaminants (such as E. coli)
In Latin America, 35% of the population lacks access to safely managed water services.7
Safely managed drinking water must satisfy three criteria:
- Available on demand
- Accessible on premises
- Free of priority contaminants (such as E. coli)
Water and Climate
Safe drinking water and a healthy planet are closely intertwined.
As the planet warms, access to safe drinking water is at risk, especially for vulnerable communities. Droughts dry up community water sources, storms contaminate water and damage infrastructure, and heat accelerates the growth of bacteria in water.
Our Life-Changing Impact
1.6 million provided with safe water solutions.
By putting people first in our mission to end the water crisis, Cova delivers solutions that improve quality of life, allowing children to attend school, parents to earn crucial income, and communities to flourish.
- https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adr3271
- https://www.who.int/news/item/28-06-2023-improving-access-to-water–sanitation-and-hygiene-can-save-1.4-million-lives-per-year–says-new-who-report
- https://www.unicef.org/stories/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-water
- https://www.unicef.org/rosa/press-releases/schools-ill-equipped-provide-healthy-and-inclusive-learning-environments-all
- https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/water-and-sanitation-silent-emergency
- https://news.un.org/en/story/2014/11/484032
- https://iris.paho.org/handle/10665.2/52586
