The United States of America is one of the world’s more powerful countries. As such, we are obligated to aid other countries who are in need of support. Developing countries all over the world share a common need: water. Clean water is a resource that these countries are struggling to provide to their citizens, and it’s time for the United States to take some action and aid these countries in attain clean water.

Everyday, thousands of gallons of water are wasted in the United States alone. Think about every time you let the shower run an extra minute longer or that habit you have of leaving your faucet running when you brush your teeth; now think about how much of that clean, filtered water could be put to good use somewhere else. Ace Plumbing and Sewer Company reports that over 90 gallons of filtered water are being wasted everyday by Americans; that’s enough water to fill 4’ by 2’ fish tank.

Water pollution is something that citizens of thriving countries often overlook, but it is a very real issue  in struggling countries around the world. The World Health Organisation, WHO, estimates that about 3.4 million people in developing African nations die every year due to water pollution. In Somalia, for example, over 70% of the population is living without clean water, and over 70,000 of the deaths that occur in the country in a given year  are linked to contaminated water. Without filtered, clean water, it is far more likely for people to come in contact with and contract deadly diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and guinea worm. It is more than likely ,that people who contract these diseases and live in developing countries will not recover because the medical treatment needed is not available to them. People in these countries do not even need to drink the water to get sick, as it can be absorbed through the skin when water is used for washing, laundry or other basic tasks About 80 percent of diseases and illnesses reported in developing countries can be traced back to water pollution.

Water is taken for granted, especially when we don’t think about what goes down the drain. To us, it’s just dollars added to our water bills, but to those who need it, it’s worth so much more. Canada has already been doing their part, giving over $40 million to developing African countries such as Ghana to provide them with clean water and the resources they need to filter their own water. The United States needs to get more involved in these underdeveloped countries to make sure that they have clean water and to take the opportunity to save lives.