By: Nick Ritland

Of all the environmental concerns Of all the environmental concerns that developing countries face, the that developing countries face, the lack of adequate water of good lack of adequate water of good quality is probably the most serious. quality is probably the most serious.

Safe water in sufficient quantities is Safe water in sufficient quantities is fundamental to human health. fundamental to human health.

2www2.dse.unibo.it/seminari/markandia.pdf

Water issues and problemsWater issues and problems• Inadequate drinking water supplyInadequate drinking water supply• Water pollutionWater pollution• FloodsFloods• Siltation of river systemsSiltation of river systems• Management of rivers and large damsManagement of rivers and large dams

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Barriers to addressing water Barriers to addressing water problemsproblems• PovertyPoverty• Illiteracy Illiteracy • Rapid population growthRapid population growth• Ineffective institutions Ineffective institutions • Ineffective policies for developing, Ineffective policies for developing,

distributing, pricing, and conserving water distributing, pricing, and conserving water recoursesrecourses

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3 to 5 million people die every year from 3 to 5 million people die every year from diarrhea caused by poor water quality.diarrhea caused by poor water quality.

One cause of this is due to industrial, urban, One cause of this is due to industrial, urban, and agricultural waste run off, causing poor and agricultural waste run off, causing poor water quality in drinking water. water quality in drinking water.

A main strategy from improving rural drinking A main strategy from improving rural drinking water is to install low-cost hand pumps that water is to install low-cost hand pumps that draw uncontaminated ground water.draw uncontaminated ground water.

5www.ifpri.org/2020/focus/focus09/focus09_04.htm