Water security is jeopardized as competing socioeconomic and environmental priorities making it difficult to manage this finite resource sustainably. Some advocate use global climate change mitigation principles, but volumetric targets or offsets ignore the regional factors that drive the water crisis. Instead, solutions must be local in nature, taking into account the ecology of individual watersheds as well as how communities use resources.

785 million people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water. Every day, over 800 children die in many communities around the world as a result of diarrhea caused by poor water, sanitation, and hygiene, as well as scarce or unreliable water and sanitation facilities.Water scarcity has an impact on families and communities. They may be trapped in poverty for generations if clean, easily accessible water is not available. Children drop out of school, while parents struggle to make ends meet.

GLOBAL WATER CRISIS IN A NUTSHELL

· More than 780 million people, or one out of every ten people on the planet, do not have access to safe drinking water.

· Every day, women and girls spend an estimated 200 million hours hauling water.

· On an average woman walks six kilometers per day to transport 18kg of water.

· Every day, more than 800 children under the age of five die as a result of diarrhea caused by a lack of clean water and sanitation.

· There are 2.3 billion people who do not have access to basic sanitation.

· One billion people defecate in the open.

· Water-related disasters account for 90% of all natural disasters.

Why the global water crisis need local solutions?

SOLUTIONS

The climate crisis can be addressed by focusing on limiting global warming to 1.5°C, and reducing emissions to do so benefits everyone. The water crisis is more intricate. It encompasses a wide range of regional and local crises, each with its own set of characteristics. Water is distributed inequitably, so different regions can experience profoundly different problems, with too much or too little water at different times of year. The reactions to these challenges will be vastly different.

Water crisis solutions must be place-based, taking into account the ecological characteristics of individual watersheds as well as how local communities use these resources.

To accomplish this, we must look beyond the most easily quantifiable aspects of water management, such as water quantity and quality.

Clean, fresh water is necessary for survival:

We can help bring clean water to needy families. We can provide clean water to many people.

· Getting access up and running is the first step.

We can provide critical sanitation and hygiene education to empower communities to advocate for, build, and maintain their own facilities and infrastructure, allowing for long-term success.

· Community mobilization for long-term change

The spread of disease is entirely avoidable. We can make a long-term difference by empowering households to build, use, and maintain toilets. We can work to raise awareness and understanding so that communities can take action.

· Providing a fresh start for children

The first 1,000 days of a child's life are critical to their overall health. We can integrate water, sanitation, and hygiene work with nutrition, early childhood development, and maternal, newborn, and child health during early childhood. This is far more effective than addressing each of these issues separately.

Clean water, in conjunction with basic sanitation and hygiene education, is one of the most effective ways to improve people's lives and combat extreme poverty.

Here are a few advantages:

· Water, sanitation, and hygiene programs work together to effectively prevent the spread of most illnesses, and are one of the most effective ways to reduce child deaths.

· Children are getting better nutrition: Kids grow taller, smarter, and stronger when they have access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. Because they are not ill, they get more nutrition from the food they eat. Families can use water to irrigate gardens all year long, resulting in more nutritious food.

· Children can attend and excel in school when they don't have to walk long distances to get water. When children don't have to walk long distances to get water, they have more time to attend school and more energy to learn. This is especially true for girls, who frequently collect water for the family.

· Family income rises: Families spend less money on healthcare and have more money to spend on things like school supplies and fees. Water can also be used to generate income by producing soap, bricks, and shea butter, as well as watering livestock and gardens.