"Water and Sanitation is one of the primary drivers of public
health. I often refer to it as 'Health 101,' which means that
once we can secure access to clean water and to adequate
sanitation facilities for all people, irrespective of the
difference in their living conditions, a huge battle against all
kinds of diseases will be won." - Dr. Lee Jong-Wook, Director
General, World Health Organization (WHO) Water-borne diseases
are not only painful and devastating to individuals, communities
and families, they have a significant impact on the local,
domestic and international economy. The cost of medical
treatment and medication, and, the loss of manpower due to
illness are just some of the associated sources of financial
loss. In addition to the economic losses due to water-borne
disease, time and manpower are also lost in the hours women and
girls spend each day gathering water from distant, often
unreliable fresh water sources. The daily task of fetching water
keeps school-age girls out of the classroom and hi