Filthy, drinkable water

The world needs clean drinking water. It’s a human issue. We need clean water because our body’s are made mostly of water. It’s a problem that often gets pushed away from our consciousness. Access to clean water is a developed and developing country problem. Look at Hurricane Katrina if you need proof that water is a highly valued commodity when there is scarcity. Let’s see what the situation is and what’s being done.

Watch Time: 20 minutes

Situation

• In 2008, 1.4 billion people lived in ‘closed basins’-regions where existing water cannot meet the agricultural, municipal, and environmental needs for all.
• Population growth is a major driver of water scarcity at the regional and global levels.
• Several major rivers, including the Indus, Rio Grande, Colorado, Murray-Darling, and Yellow, no longer reach the sea year-round as a growing share of their waters are claimed for various uses.
• Diets heavy in livestock are water intensive because of the huge quantities of water required for livestock production. Similarly, fossil fuel production requires many times more water than renewable energy sources do. source
• Infectious, water-related diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.
• Between 1972 and 1999, 35 new agents of disease were discovered and many more have re-emerged. source

Towards a Solution

Many organizations are addressing this problem through education and technology. One of those technologies is the Lifesaver water bottle. Watch the video below to see how it works. At $150 a pop they are not going to be readily available all over the world, unless of course you can foot the $20 billion bill to make that happen.

Michael Pritchard’s water filter turns filthy water drinkable

“Too much of the world lacks access to clean drinking water. Engineer Michael Pritchard did something about it — inventing the portable Lifesaver filter, which can make the most revolting water drinkable in seconds. An amazing demo from TEDGlobal 2009.”

Feel free to add any resources below and I’ll expand this list.

More Resources:

Emerging issues in water and infectious diseases – Link to download full report
How to clean up our water – Tips
National Geographic Article - Water Pressure
Virtual Water- Infographic
The Anti-Ostriches: Preparing for an uncertain future