Water Facts
• Water covers more than 70 percent of the earth’s surface but less than one percent is available as fresh water. 
• The average distance that women in Africa and Asia walk to collect water is six kilometers.
• 1.8 million people die every year from diarrheal diseases due to unsafe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene sources.

More than 1.5 million children under five continue to die each year as a result of acute diarrhea 
• Number can be dramatically reduced through critical therapies such as prevention and treatment of dehydration with ORS (Oral Rehydration Solutions) and fluids available in the home, breastfeeding, continued feeding, selective use of antibiotics and zinc supplementation for 10-14 days 
• Family knowledge must be reinforced by way of prevention, nutrition, ORT/ORS use, zinc supplementation, and when and where to seek care. Where feasible, families should be encouraged to have ORS ready-to-mix packages and zinc (syrup or tablet), readily available for use, as needed.
• Caretakers will act quickly at the first sign of diarrhea, rather than waiting before treatment

Mothers and other caregivers should:
• Prevent dehydration through the early administration of increased amounts of appropriate fluids available in the home, and ORS solution, if on hand
• Continue feeding (or increase breastfeeding) during, and increase all feeding after the episode
• Recognize the signs of dehydration and take the child to a health0care provider for ORS or intravenous electrolyte solution, as well as familiarize themselves with other symptoms requiring medical treatment (e.g., bloody diarrhea)
• Provide children with 20 mg per day of zinc supplementation for 10-14 days (10mg per day for infants under six months old)

Solar Water Disinfection (SODIS) is a process by which those living in third-world countries may disinfect their drinking water with the use of solar energy. By filling a clear plastic bottle (up to 3L) with available water and setting it out in the sun for 6-8 hours, the energy from the sun will kill pathogens in the water, making it safer to drink. Within one hour 99.9% of coliforms are destroyed; S typhi and V cholera are even more sensitive. 
This method:
 • Increases the proportion of population using an improved drinking water source
• Reduces litter of plastic bottles because they are now used for health purpose instead