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| (Image taken from Clean Water Action website) |
Water is one of the most vital components in human life that 3.4 millions people die each year due to water-related diseases, which is more than the lives claimed in wars. During the 19th century, one of the water-borne diseases named Cholera spread from Ganges delta in India throughout the world that it created another 6 subsequent pandemics which killed millions of people from all continents. Around 430 - 424 B.C.E., it is believed that Typhoid fever wiped out one third of the population of Athens, bringing the Golden Age of Pericles to an end. Besides the diseases related to water contaminated by bacteria, mosquito-borne diseases such as Malaria and Dengue which are discovered since 2700 B.C.E. and 265 C.E. respectively are also closely-related to our water since mosquitoes require stagnant water to breed. At around 20th century, contamination of water by heavy metals such as lead and mercury is being taken seriously since after the incidents of lead and mercury poisonings.
