Water: an Economic Issue
The water crisis is, above all, a crisis for the poor. Almost two-thirds of people who lack access to clean water survive on less than two dollars a day, and one-third live on less than one dollar a day. Some might lack water because they are poor, others might be poor because they lack water, but the statistics show a two-way relationship between poverty and water deprivation.
Water is essential for personal enterprises such as vegetable gardens, food preparation, and laundry services. In many cases, these tiny local businesses have no formal right to the water they use and are vulnerable to larger economic and political players for their water usage.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, the money lost from missed work opportunities due to water-related illnesses exceeds the amount of aid and debt relief to the region.
