Deadly Waters: Nations Suffering Water Pollution Fatalities

Water pollution is a pressing issue that affects countries worldwide, causing illnesses and deaths. Unsafe water sources are a significant health risk, particularly in low-income countries, where they account for a higher proportion of deaths. While the overall death rate from unsafe water has decreased, the impact is still substantial, with an estimated 1.8 million deaths attributed to water pollution in 2015. This introduction will explore the global impact of water pollution, specifically focusing on countries where water pollution has resulted in significant mortality rates, and discuss the underlying causes and potential solutions to address this critical challenge.

Low-income countries

Unsafe water sources account for a small percentage of deaths globally. However, in low-income countries, the number of deaths caused by unsafe water is twice as high. These deaths are largely preventable, and the death rate is influenced by other risk factors for death, such as inadequate management of urban, industrial, and agricultural wastewater, and natural chemical presence.

Low- and lower-middle-income countries bear the brunt of deaths from unsafe water sources, with rates often exceeding 50 deaths per 100,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. In contrast, high-income countries in Europe have rates below 0.1 deaths per 100,000 people. This disparity highlights the strong negative relationship between death rates and income levels, where death rates decline as countries become wealthier.

Several factors contribute to the high death rates in low-income countries. Firstly, income plays a significant role, with lower-income households having a larger share of the population without access to improved water sources. This is due to the cost of implementing and maintaining safe water infrastructure, which can be challenging for low-income countries.

Additionally, governance and infrastructural factors are crucial. The challenges of developing municipal water networks in rural areas contribute to lower usage levels compared to urban areas. Inefficient water use and unsustainable water management practices further exacerbate the problem, threatening economic growth and food security.

To address these issues, investments in water-use efficiency, improved water supply and sanitation, and better management of water resources are necessary. By achieving universal access to safe and affordable drinking water, low-income countries can boost their economic growth and significantly reduce poverty.

Water-stressed countries

Water stress is the ratio of water demand to renewable supply. The smaller the gap between supply and demand, the more vulnerable a place is to water shortages. A country facing “extreme water stress” means it is using at least 80% of its available supply, while "high water stress" means it is withdrawing 40% of its supply.

The most water-stressed regions are the Middle East and North Africa, where 83% of the population is exposed to extremely high water stress, and South Asia, where 74% is exposed. By 2050, an additional 1 billion people are expected to live with extremely high water stress, and 100% of the population of the Middle East and North Africa will be affected. Other highly water-stressed countries include Israel, Jordan, and Libya.

Water stress is exacerbated by climate change, population growth, demographic changes, urbanization, and pollution. Without better water management, population growth, economic development, and climate change are poised to worsen water stress. Water security is expected to be on the agenda when leaders meet in Nairobi, Kenya, for the sixth session of the UN Environment Assembly.

Industrial and agricultural activities

Agricultural activities, on the other hand, contaminate water with nitrates, phosphorus, pesticides, soil sediments, salts, and pathogens. The excessive use of nitrogen and phosphorus in farming and livestock production leads to nutrient pollution, causing toxic algal blooms that are harmful to humans and wildlife. Pesticides, fertilizers, and animal waste from agricultural operations wash into waterways during rainfall, posing risks to human health. Agriculture is responsible for around 70% of global freshwater consumption, and inefficient practices waste much of this precious resource. Leaky irrigation systems, improper application methods, and the cultivation of water-intensive crops contribute to this waste.

The impact of water pollution from industrial and agricultural activities is more severe in low- and lower-middle-income countries, where sanitation and wastewater treatment facilities are inadequate. In these countries, the death rate from unsafe water sources can exceed 50 deaths per 100,000 people, with children being particularly vulnerable. The lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation contributes to the spread of diarrheal diseases, cholera, typhoid fever, and other water-borne illnesses.

To address these issues, improved water supply and sanitation management, and better wastewater treatment practices are necessary. The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals include achieving universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030. This goal not only aims to improve human health but also to reduce gender inequality, as women and girls in Africa currently spend a significant portion of their day gathering water.

Waterborne pathogens

In 2022, it was reported that 1.7 billion people worldwide used a drinking water source contaminated with faeces, which poses the greatest risk to drinking water safety. Microbiologically contaminated drinking water can transmit diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio. Diarrhoeal diseases alone are estimated to cause approximately 505,000 deaths each year, with 395,000 of those being children under five years old.

The impact of waterborne pathogens is not limited to developing countries. In the United States, waterborne infectious diseases substantially affect public health despite widespread treatment and disinfection of drinking water systems. In 2014, there were an estimated 7.15 million cases of domestically acquired infectious waterborne illnesses, resulting in 120,000 hospitalizations and 6,600 deaths. Biofilm-associated pathogens, such as Legionella and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), have emerged as the predominant causes of hospitalizations and deaths from waterborne diseases in the United States.

To address the issue of waterborne pathogens, effective prevention and control measures are crucial. These include improving access to clean drinking water, implementing proper sanitation systems, educating communities about hygiene practices, and employing water treatment techniques such as filtration. Proper management of water resources, including the safe reuse of wastewater and sludge, is also essential in reducing the incidence and impact of waterborne diseases.

While progress has been made, the challenge remains to achieve universal access to safe and affordable drinking water. Climate change, increasing water scarcity, population growth, and urbanization pose significant challenges to water supply systems. To overcome these obstacles, a combination of improved water supply and sanitation infrastructure, better water resource management, and the adoption of sustainable practices, such as the safe reuse of wastewater, will be necessary.

Water sanitation

Global Water Crisis

Water scarcity and inadequate sanitation are widespread problems, affecting people in both developed and developing nations. Despite progress, the United Nations (UN) reports that 2.2 billion people lacked access to safe drinking water in 2022, while 3.5 billion lacked safe sanitation services. This situation is expected to worsen due to climate change, population growth, and increasing water demand from various sectors.

Health Impact

The lack of water sanitation has severe health implications. Approximately 1 million people die annually from diarrhoeal diseases caused by unsafe drinking water, and water-related illnesses contribute to high rates of disease and death, especially among children, birthing mothers, and newborns in the developing world. Every two minutes, a child dies from a water or sanitation-related disease, and inadequate sanitation contributes to the spread of illnesses, keeping children out of school.

Social and Economic Impact

Addressing the Issue

To address the global water crisis, several strategies are necessary:

• Infrastructure and Ecosystem Restoration: Investing in infrastructure and restoring water-related ecosystems, such as mountains, forests, wetlands, and rivers, are crucial steps to ensuring universal access to safe drinking water.
• Hygiene Education: Promoting hygiene education is essential to preventing the spread of diseases and improving overall health. Simple actions like handwashing can have significant health benefits.
• Water Reuse and Wastewater Management: The appropriate reuse of wastewater and sludge can increase food production, enhance resilience to water scarcity, and promote a more circular economy.
• Increased Investment and Cooperation: Achieving universal coverage by 2030 will require substantial increases in investment and cross-sectoral cooperation among all stakeholders.

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