Water, water... but not a drop to drink: the dire water-supply problem!

In certain areas of Africa and Asia, four-fifths (4/5ths) of all illnesses are caused by waterborne diseases.


Diarrhea, caused by drinking dirty and contaminated water, is the leading cause of childhood deaths in these parts of the world.


Local river or trench water, so polluted you wouldn't even want to bathe in it, may often be the only drinking water available to the poor in the developing world, and in areas wracked by wars, genocide, famines, and natural disasters.


One partial solution might be the use of simple water filters, which can be constructed locally for about $15 USD, using entirely local materials.