Looking at statistics on Water Aid's website about 1/10 of the world's population don't have access to clean water. 1/3 don't have access to proper sanitation.
With how easy it is for us to turn on a tap I find it so easy to forget what a relatively new thing it is to have fresh, clean water piped to my own home. With daily showers and endless glasses of water or cups of tea we can't imagine our lives without that choice.
At work I wash my hands before and after every action I perform- I dread to think how many times per shift, and how many litres of water I use each day- but this simple precaution is the single most important infection control measure I can take.
Simple hand washing has dramatically reduced the spread of certain infections in countries that have adequate facilities and water supplies. Yet the cholera outbreak in Haiti has shown how quickly disease can spread when these facilities are compromised.
I haven't been able to complete today's task- using washing up water to water plants- as my mum did the washing up when I was at work and Mike had already watered the seedlings before I got home. The fact that we have other options (we don't save water out of necessity, just out of good citizenship) is such a blessing and today's instruction to 'Save Water' is a reminder of how unbelievably lucky I am.
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