Water is one of the most important environmental resources that humans rely on for their wellbeing and health. Yet, one in three people across the world does not have access to safe and reliable sources of drinking water

The Sustainable Development Goal Number 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation acknowledges that safe drinking water is critical to prevent the incidence of water-borne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera etc. which are associated with long-term poor health and other outcomes.

If sources of water are far away, people often end up relying on surface sources of water (such as ponds and lakes) which are often contaminated and lead to increased disease burdens for the population

Unequal water access also exacerbates gender inequalities because the responsibility to procure water for drinking and other uses often falls on women and girls.