Water Education Officer demonstrating low cost water quality monitoring kit to local villagers in KwaZulu Natal in South Africa
Providing adequate drinking water is recognised as a worldwide problem and is particularly severe in rural and rapidly growing urban areas. In the developing world, one out of six people live without regular access to safe drinking water and diseases related to water kill a child every eight seconds and are responsible for 80 percent of all illnesses and deaths. Umgeni Water in KwaZulu Natal pioneered water education in South Africa focusing on vital issues like water supply and treatment, pollution, sanitation, bacteriological contamination, health and hygiene water borne diseases and conservation. South Africa is a hot and arid country and fast growth in its population combined with rapid urbanization and industrialization has resulted in a progressive decline in the volume of available water. Simultaneously water quality has deteriorated as a result of increased pollution levels and has further reduced the quantity of water available for use. Parallel to universal access is the issue of affordability. There is already a situation where water is available but many households cannot afford to buy it This was one of the major factors that contributed to the cholera outbreak in KwaZulu Natal during 2000 to 2001. The long term challenge in South Africa is how to provide water to households with little or no income.
Size: 5622px × 5640px
Location: Transvaal, South Africa
Photo credit: © qaphotos.com / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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