The Global Water Crisis

Clean, safe drinking water is taken for granted in rich countries, yet billions of poor people worldwide still face daily challenges accessing safe water sources. They spend countless hours queuing or trekking long distances and cope with health impacts from contaminated water.

The Scale of the Problem

2.2 billion people lack access to clean water at home, while 2.3 billion lack basic sanitation services. Over 80% of wastewater returns to the environment untreated. Every day, more than 800 children under five die from diarrhea caused by dirty water, and 700 million people could be displaced by water scarcity by 2030.

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Emergency Response

During emergencies, water and sanitation systems often collapse. Without water, people can't survive beyond three days. Oxfam's water engineers and public health specialists provide large-scale water supply systems and sanitation facilities, setting industry standards through innovations like easy-to-assemble storage tanks and treatment units.

Breaking the Poverty Cycle

Water scarcity and poor sanitation negatively impact food security, livelihoods, and education, especially for women and girls who spend endless hours fetching water. Oxfam addresses these water-related injustices through sustainable projects that provide safe water and fairer resource management.

Clean water and sanitation shouldn't be luxuries. Making them available to everyone, regardless of location, is essential to ending poverty.

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Find out more at oxfam.org