Question 1

How many people in the world need access to safe water and adequate sanitation?

According to the JMP in 2017, about 30% of people in the world do not use basic, safely-managed water services; 60% of people in the world do not use basic, safely-managed sanitation services. This means that water and sanitation services available to an overwhelming number of people in the world are not easily accessible or may be broken or poorly maintained.

Source: JMP 2017

Answer

Many, many years...but it only took about a century once it became clear that having toilets prevents diseases from spreading. Check out the Toilet Timeline to learn more.

Question 2

Where in the world is there the most need right now?

According to the JMP, the areas with the lowest levels of access to water and sanitation are in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.

Source: JMP 2017

Question 3

Why don't people have access to toilets?

• They don't have enough room to accommodate both their homes and a toilet

• They live somewhere – like a mountain top, village or lake – where it is difficult to build a toilet

• The communities have certain taboos about owning or using a toilet

• Their beliefs and customs dictate where and how to go to the bathroom

• They don't have enough money to build and maintain a toilet

• There are no companies in the area who produce and sell toilets

Question 4

Why don't people have access to safe drinking water?

• The area does not have enough fresh drinking water to accommodate the number of people living there

• Naturally-occurring water sources are contaminated with toxins like arsenic and E. coli

• Without access to toilets, people are forced to go outside. This usually means they are going to the bathroom in the water sources (lakes, rivers) and therefore contaminating them, or they are going in an area that will eventually get washed into the waterways

• There is a drought preventing water sources from being rejuvenated quickly enough for people to use

• The owner of the water source is not willing to share with those who need it

• The water is managed by an organization that charges unaffordable rates

• The water source is not easily accessible – it’s often too far away or across dangerous terrain

Question 5

How long did it take for the developed world to get access to these things?

Question 6

What are the biggest challenges for getting people safe drinking water and toilets?

Population growth is one of the biggest challenges for improving access all over the world. Because, despite efforts to improve access to sanitation, the population is growing so fast, It is hard to keep up.

Another challenge is climate change. With climate patterns changing and certain areas having increased cases of drought or rain, people are struggling to get access to clean water and working sanitation systems. Rain can flood toilets and contaminate water. Droughts reduce the water levels and make it hard to clean oneself after going to the bathroom.

Lack of resources is another challenge. Those working in water and sanitation don't have the funds to get people access to water and toilets quickly or easily.

Source: USA CDC

Source: National Geographic

Source: WaterAid Blog