(NC) Most Canadians expect clean water. Turning on the tap each morning to brush teeth, brew coffee, fill water bottles or wash hands are automatic acts. The water that makes them possible is woven into daily routines—invisible, but essential.
For most people, water isn't something that’s given much thought until it's gone. When there’s a boil-water advisory, a drought warning, a wildfire or a burst pipe in the dead of winter, suddenly every drop matters. It’s worth taking a closer look at just how much:
The body uses water for just about everything. It’s a commonly known fact that about 60 per cent of the average human body is made of water. But the implications of that fact aren’t always obvious. Water is an essential part of many body functions, including regulating temperature, protecting organs and getting nutrients and oxygen to cells.
Clean water is even more important for children. If someone’s dehydrated, it can have wide-ranging impacts, including on motor skills and cognitive ability. In many developing countries, children struggle to get enough water and to access it uncontaminated.
In fact, one in four people globally still live without access to safe water, and the consequences ripple far beyond thirst. Without clean water, children fall sick from preventable diseases, families spend hours walking to fetch water instead of working or learning and students—particularly girls—miss school.
Making sure kids have access to clean water takes support and action. Establishing and maintaining a community’s access to clean water is complex, especially in remote areas. There are organizations, like Children Believe, who work with communities around the world to build up the education, equipment and infrastructure needed to establish lasting clean water access—drilling wells, installing proper washrooms and training local teams to maintain these vital systems for years to come.
Clean water sustains life, but it also unlocks potential. When it flows freely, so do opportunities for learning, health and building a better future. Learn more about how clean water transforms communities at childrenbelieve.ca.
