Access to clean water is essential for human survival, and so is being able to drink clean water every day. However, this basic need is still not available to everyone across the globe.
The reality for many is to seek any water source available to prevent death from dehydration. Those desperate enough are willing to use this water for survival, even if it is potentially contaminated. This can lead to outbreaks of serious illness in those who come in close contact with the infected water.
With this in mind, here is a look at the main causes behind water-related diseases.
Industrial and agricultural pollution, which often includes the improper disposal of toxic waste, introduces various chemicals into water sources. Heavy metals, pesticides, and industrial pollutants can contaminate water, posing serious health risks to individuals who consume or come into close contact with the affected water.
Although the effects are more gradual than being exposed to harmful bacteria, long-term exposure to these chemicals can lead to organ damage, diseases like cancer, and developmental disorders.
Poor sanitation practices and improper waste disposal contribute significantly to waterborne diseases. Contaminated water sources often result from a lack of proper sewage systems, allowing disease-causing microorganisms to spread. Waterborne diseases like dysentery, hepatitis A, and polio are directly linked to the consumption of water contaminated with human waste.
Conflict, poverty, lack of infrastructure, and natural disasters are major causes that can lead to poor sanitation practices within a community or larger regions.
Bacteria and other disease-causing organisms thrive in water, especially in stagnant pools. Bacterial contamination of a water supply, whether through poor hygiene or lack of sanitation, is a major cause of waterborne diseases. Furthermore, poor sanitation practices can directly contribute to the contamination of a water source with disease-causing microorganisms.
If the population has been weakened by malnutrition, then they are highly susceptible to infectious diseases. Waterborne microorganisms can cause illnesses such as cholera, typhoid fever, and gastroenteritis. Such infections can often be fatal in those with no food or water.
Most people take having access to a clean water supply for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and bathing for granted, especially in the wealthier parts of the world. However, for many people, the reality is the absence of daily clean water that can be safely used for the basics of day-to-day living.
Instead, communities are forced to travel for miles in search of clean water for their daily needs. If no source is found, then risks are taken, which include using contaminated water to cook, drink, and bathe. This inevitably spreads diseases that could prove fatal to the vulnerable.
Understanding the main causes behind having a lack of clean water is pivotal in developing effective strategies to prevent this from occurring continuously. Location is a factor, and so is the displacement of a population, whether it be from a natural disaster or conflict.
Microbial contamination, chemical pollution, inadequate sanitation, and lack of access to clean water are interlinked with each other and all contribute to waterborne illnesses.
Addressing all these causes requires an approach that involves water treatment, sanitation improvement, environmental protection, education, and easy access to clean water. By tackling these linked causes, affected communities and charities can work together to lessen the chances of them and others becoming victims of potentially fatal outbreaks of water-related diseases.
Such outbreaks can be hard to control once they occur in a vulnerable community, so prevention is better than cure when it comes to providing clean water supplies and human health.