Water plays a large role in disaster relief work. While lack of water can lead to drought and famine, too much can cause catastrophic flooding, crop loss and disease. The current situation in southern Africa, where thousands displaced by floods are threatened by disease and hunger, underscores the need for safe water supplies, Bermejo said. In Kenya, women gather water from an American Red Cross-donated well. The health of the world's population is most affected by contaminated water or by a lack of it, according to a WHO report released in honor of the day.
Water sources are often vulnerable.
In many cases, they are abused to such an extent that they no longer can provide for a community's basic needs and end up posing serious health risks.