Did you know that one in 10 people lack access to safe drinking water? And that actually, the water crisis is the #1 global risk based on impact to society (as a measure of devastation), as announced by the
World Economic Forum in January 2015.
Every day in rural communities and poor urban centers throughout areas like sub-Saharan Africa, hundreds of millions of people suffer from a lack of access to clean, safe water.
Women and girls especially bear the burden of walking miles at a time to gather water from streams and ponds The reserves contain water-borne diseases that make them and their families sick.
Illness from drinking dirty water and the time lost fetching it robs entire communities of their futures.
However, there are ways we can help. There are groups such as
The Water Project,
Catholic Relief Services, and
Essential Need that all fund raise to provide water to countries in need. The bottled water industry also does its part to help with water conservation when it comes to groundwater management.
IBWA even states their position on their website:
“IBWA supports comprehensive water resource management that regulates both the quality and quantity of groundwater, treats all users equitably, provides for the sustainability of the resource, and balances the interests and rights of those using this natural resource today and in the future. IBWA also advocates comprehensive groundwater management policies that are based on sound science and that considers and treat all users equitably. IBWA believes that only through this approach to groundwater resource management can the water needs of the population and the environment be effectively addressed.”
Fontis Water supports the IBWA initiative as well. And it’s important to note that the bottled water industry’s water footprint is a small one relative to overall groundwater withdrawals – the entire
United States beverage industry accounts for less than 0.03 percent of the total ground or surface water used each year.