Many people take daily access to clean water for granted and are unaware of the real effects on those who do not have the same access. Clean water is becoming a necessity for survival more than ever. If we all imagined waking up one day and no longer being able to get clean water, there would be a greater understanding of the need for solutions to ensure access to clean water for all. “With 87% of the world's population, or approximately 5.9 billion people, using safe drinking water sources, the world is on track to meet or even exceed the drinking water target of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) )” (World Health Organization, 2010, p.1). This seems to be a large number, but the world must continue to strive to improve. Health Hazards The health hazards that lack of clean water creates vary in levels, with the most serious being death. “More than 3.5 million people die each year from water-related diseases; 84% are children. Almost all deaths, 98%, occur in developing countries” (Water, 2011, p.1). There are many waterborne diseases that contribute to poor health. For example, “Diarrheal disease alone amounts to approximately 4.1% of the total global disease burden DALYs and is responsible for the deaths of 1.8 million people each year (WHO, 2004)” (WHO 2011, p.1 ). Cholera is also a waterborne disease that affects more and more people every day. Cholera infects the intestine and, if left untreated, can even lead to death (Water-Related Cholera p.1). Another serious waterborne disease is malaria. Malaria, the world's most important parasitic infectious disease, is transmitted by mosquitoes that breed in fresh or occasionally brackish water, causing over one million deaths...... middle of paper ......Drinking water in Developing Countries - Environmental Science and Technology (ACS Publications). ACS Publications. Retrieved February 14, 2011, from http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es702746nWater-Related Diseases Cholera. (n.d.). World Health Organization. Retrieved February 14, 2011, from www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/diseases/cholera/en/Water-Related Diseases Malaria. (n.d.). World Health Organization. Retrieved February 14, 2011, from www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/diseases/malaria/en/Water.org » One billion people affected. (n.d.). Water.org. Retrieved February 15, 2011, from http://water.org/learn-about-the-water-crisis/billion/World Health Organization.(March 2010). Improving access to safe drinking water; sanitation services need more efforts. Retrieved February 14, 2011, from http://who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2010/water_20100315/en/