Dead planet, living planet

Wastewater, Health and Human well being Investing in water supply and sanitation

Economic return for water and sanitation investments for two different scenarios

US Dollars return for each dollar invested

45

40

Central and Eastern Europe

35

30

Western Pacific

25

Eastern Mediterranean

Pacific Ocean

20

South East Asia

Africa

15

Atlantic Ocean

10

Latin America and Caribbeans

Indian Ocean

Scenario B

5

Scenario A

0

1 000

WHO scenarios for 2015

Mortality rate for WHO sanitary regions

Diarrhoea cases averted per year reaching:

Water Source and sanitation for the Millennium Development Goals Regulated piped water source and sewer connection

Thousands

430 130

High

Source: Hutton, G., et al ., Global cost-benefit analysis of water supply and sanitation interventions, Journal of Water and Health, 2007.

A

Child

Low

Scenario A Scenario B

Low

High

Very high

B

1

Adult

Figure 9: Wastewater, health and human well being.

and harmful algal blooms that will further degrade marine biomass and biological diversity (Sherman and Hempel 2008; UNEP, 2008). At least 1.8 million children under five years die every year due to water related disease, or one every 20 seconds (WHO, 2007). Estimates of the global burden of water-associated hu-

man diseases provide a simple index hiding a complex real- ity. For an estimated 88 % of diarrhoea cases the underlying cause is unsafe water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene. Moreover, it is estimated that 50 % of malnutrition is asso- ciated with repeated diarrhoea or intestinal worm infections. Childhood malnutrition is at the root of 35 % of all global child mortality (WHO, 2007).

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