Water and Economy
Lack of safe water and poor sanitation results in economic losses estimated at $260 billion USD globally each year. (WHO)
On average, every US dollar invested in water and sanitation provides an economic return of $4 USD. (WHO)
The cost of water in many developing countries is 5-10 times higher than in most other countries.
In many places of the world where water scarcity exists, it is not because of a physical lack of water, but because the people living there do not have the means or the money to access the water that is directly beneath them.
Those who lack access to water are not a homogeneously poor group. Nearly 66% of people who lack safe drinking water live on less than $2 a day, while 33% live on less than $1 a day. (UNDP)
Universal access to safe water and sanitation would result in $32 billion USD in economic benefits each year from reductions in health care costs and increased productivity from reduced illness. (WHO)
Time spent gathering water around the world translates to $24 billion USD in lost economic benefits each year. (WHO)
If provided access to credit, poor households can allocate a significant portion of their income to sanitation investments. (WSP)