Need for Clean Water in Bolivia
1) Approximately 1.7 million people lack clean water in Bolivia, including 48% of the population in rural parts of the country.*
2) 58% of the total population lacks access to sewage systems and fecal waste disposal. This contributes to the degradation of the environment through the contamination of surface and groundwater and poses a danger to human health.**
3) Consuming contaminated water leads to illness triggering a host of symptoms and physical discomforts including diarrhea, stomach pains, weight loss, fever and headaches. In some cases these illnesses can lead to death, especially in children under the age of five, and the elderly. Hospital visits to treat illness are expensive and are often temporary solutions if the causes of waterborne disease still persist. |