Water, water, not everywhere Plainly stated: most folks in the
United States and Western Europe take water for granted. To most
of us access to clean water is as simple as walking over to our
kitchen sink and running the tap. In the developing world,
however, maintaining reliable access to water for hydration and
hygiene can be difficult to flat out impossible. Hours a day and
miles walked may be devoted to maintaining even a meager supply
of sketchy water or worse, families may be forced to use water
sources that they know may be harmful due to agricultural,
natural or industrial contamination. The filthy water may be all
they can reach. Water Advocates are sponsoring a program that
tackles two problems in the developing world in one stroke,
helping young people stay in school and helping them achieve
access to clean, life-giving water. Half the world's classrooms
currently do not have access to clean water. The Water Advocates
ask us to imagine "being a child sitting in a sweltering
classroom in Nicaragua a