At the start of the 21st century 900 million people – around one seventh of the world population – lack access to clean potable water. Some 2.5 billion are without basic sanitation facilities.Water scarcity and poor water quality are among the chief causes of poverty, disease and environmental degradation. In the face of world population growth, increasing urbanisation and industrialisation and emerging climate change, it is becoming increasingly difficult to provide and maintain adequate water supplies.
