In 2017, an estimated 1.2 million people died as a result of unsafe drinking water sources: 2.2% of global deaths, of which 6% of deaths and 50% of hospitalizations are in low-income countries. Waterborne infectious diseases include cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis, typhoid, and polio. Diarrheal diseases and other GI-associated conditions often also play a role in malnutrition and childhood stunting. Sustainable Development Goal 6.1 calls for universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water. The UN WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Project defines a WASH water ladder: untreated surface water, unprotected wells, improved water, and germ-free, clean, safe water. The target is “safely managed drinking water services” – drinking water from an improved water source that is located on premises, available when needed, and free from fecal and priority chemical contamination. In 2017, 5.3 billion people had safely managed drinking-water service. The remaining 2.2 billion people without safely managed services in 2017 included:

• 1.4 billion people with basic services, meaning an improved water source located within a round trip of 30 minutes
• 206 million people with limited services, typically an improved water source requiring more than 30 minutes to collect water
• 435 million people taking water from unprotected wells and springs
• 144 million people collecting untreated surface water from lakes, ponds, rivers and streams.

Bangladesh has made significant progress regarding universal access to improved water sources, with more than 97% of households having access to improved water in 2013 (UNICEF - Bangladesh WASH E-book, 2018). In Bangladesh, the arsenic problem has been largely addressed by the Government and different NGO’s, with a significant decline to only 15% of drinking water at tap having an arsenic problem and these are largely humanitarian/edge cases.

However, we believe that the largest drinking water problem globally and in Bangladesh is germs in water at the point of consumption.