Water pollution and lack of access to clean water are a global issue that affects millions of people every day, even though it's something a lot of people don't think about. This issue directly connects to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Goal 6:Clean Water and Sanitation, as well as Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being, because unsafe water can lead to serious diseases and long-term health problems. Safe drinking water depends on proper systems being in place, and when those systems fail or don't exist, it can lead to serious health problems. According to J.A. Nathanson, water supply systems are designed to provide clean and safe drinking water, but contamination from substances like pesticides, industrial chemicals, and byproducts such as chloroform can make water unsafe over time. This shows that even in places with systems in place, water quality still needs to be carefully managed and regulated. 

Unsafe water is not just an environmental issue because it is also a major public health problem. Research from the World Health Organization shows that contaminated drinking water can spread diseases like cholera, typhoid, polio, hepatitis A, and dysentery, all of which are mostly preventable with proper sanitation and treatment. In 2021, over 2 billion people were living in water-stressed countries, meaning they did not have reliable access to safe water. This number is expected to increase due to population growth and climate change, which puts even more pressure on already limited water resources. 

In addition to disease, unsafe water and poor sanitation systems continue to create long-term health impacts, especially in lower-income communities. In the article by Bruce Gordon and others, the authors explain how the lack of access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) contributes to higher death rates and ongoing health issues. These conditions are especially dangerous because they spread preventable diseases and affect children’s physical development and overall well-being. The article makes it clear that improving water and sanitation systems is one of the most effective ways to reduce global health inequalities. Children are one of the groups most affected by this issue. According to UNICEF, unsafe water and poor sanitation increase the risk of illness in children and can also impact their education, since getting sick frequently can cause them to miss school. In many developing or rapidly growing urban areas, overcrowding and weak infrastructure make it even more difficult for families to access clean water. This shows that the issue is not just about the environment, but also about the quality of life and future opportunities. 

Overall, water pollution and lack of clean water access remain major global challenges. The problem is caused by a combination of pollution, weak infrastructure, and unequal access to resources. It affects health, development, and daily life for billions of people. Understanding how serious this issue is helps explain why different countries, such as Lebanon, Pakistan, and the United States, experience it in different ways and respond with different solutions. 

I chose Lebanon, Pakistan, and the United States because they each represent different levels of access to clean water and different causes of water-related health issues. The United States is a developed country with strong water infrastructure and regulations, but it still has inequality in access depending on location and income. Pakistan represents a developing country where waterborne diseases and unsafe drinking water are much more widespread due to limited infrastructure and poverty. Lebanon is important to include because it has been affected by political instability as well as economic crisis, which has made it harder to maintain consistent access to clean water and sanitation systems. Looking at these three countries helps show that water quality is not just about technology, but also about government stability, education, and economic conditions. 

In the United States, most people have access to treated drinking water through regulated systems. About 92% of the U.S population receives water from community water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, which sets the national safety standards. Water is monitored for contaminants, and treatment processes are used to reduce harmful substances, with the Environmental Protection Agency reporting that over 50,000 public water systems are regularly tested. However, even with these systems, there are still environmental justice issues. Studies show that communities of color are about 40% more likely to be exposed to polluted drinking water compared to white communities. Some lower-income communities are more likely to experience older infrastructure or exposure to pollution from nearby industrial sites. This connects to what I learned from Kiera Lane, a community organizer for Clean Power Lake County, who explained that Black and Brown communities and low-income families are often more vulnerable to poor water quality because they are already in areas with more environmental risks and fewer resources. This shows that even in a country with strong systems, access to clean water is not completely equal. Another important factor to consider is how water is treated and regulated differently across countries. In the United States, for example, water is monitored through specific standards to make sure it is safe for public use, and about 73% of Americans receive fluoridated water to help prevent tooth decay. However, not all countries have the same level of regulation or infrastructure, which creates major differences in water quality and access worldwide. 

Pakistan faces many more serious challenges with water quality and sanitation. In Pakistan, about 70% of households drink bacterially contaminated water, and nearly 20 million people still lack access to safe drinking water. Many people rely on untreated water sources such as rivers, wells, or contaminated groundwater. This leads to widespread waterborne diseases like cholera, dysentery, and chronic diarrhea, and these illnesses are responsible for around 40% of all deaths in Pakistan each year. Poverty plays a major role because many families cannot afford filtration systems or medical care. In addition, weak infrastructure makes it difficult to provide consistent clean water access across rural and urban areas. Compared to the United States, Pakistan has far fewer resources for water treatment and sanitation, which makes prevention and education even more important. 

Lebanon also struggles with water access, but for different reasons. About 48% of Lebanon’s population has limited access to safely managed drinking water, and during recent economic crises, water supply services have been reduced significantly. Instead of only lacking infrastructure, Lebanon’s water systems are heavily affected by political and economic instability. In recent years, financial crises have made it harder for the government to maintain public services, including water treatment systems, with the World Bank reporting that the country’s water sector has been severely impacted. As a result, some communities rely on private water trucking or untreated sources, and in some areas, households spend up to 10% of their income on water. Lebanon shows how even countries that are not extremely poor can still face water insecurity when governance and infrastructure systems break down. 

Across all these countries, one major theme that connects everything is the importance of education and awareness. In my interview with Dr. Muriel Adams, the CEO of One World Shared Future, she emphasized that many people don’t even know where their water comes from and that education in schools could create long-term change. This connects to the idea that solutions are not only physical, like pipes and treatment plants, but also behavioral and educational. For example, in Pakistan, UNICEF WASH programs have reached millions of people by teaching safe hygiene practices like handwashing and proper water storage, which directly help reduce waterborne disease. Similarly, Dr. Kerry Cedergren, who runs the sustainability club at Lake Forest Academy, explained that people often harm water quality without realizing it and that non-judgmental education can help change some everyday behavior. This shows that awareness plays a major role in preventing water pollution before it even reaches communities. In Lebanon, local NGOS and school-based programs have focused on water conservation education during ongoing shortages, helping families understand how to reduce waste and avoid contamination when relying on limited sources. Even in the United States, the EPA runs education campaigns like WaterSense, which encourages people to use water more efficiently and reduce pollution at the household level.

Another major comparison between the countries is how much government policy and regulation influence water quality. In the United States, water is regulated and treated under national standards, even though issues still exist in some areas. The Safe Drinking Water Act requires regular testing of public water systems and sets limits on harmful contaminants like lead and bacteria. However, events like the Flint water crisis showed how regulation can fail certain communities when infrastructure and oversight break down. In contrast, Pakistan and Lebanon face more challenges with consistent enforcement and funding for water systems. My interview with Kiera also highlighted how political and economic factors can influence environmental decisions, especially when certain communities have less power to advocate for themselves. In Pakistan, limited government funding and weaker enforcement mean that many rural communities still rely on untreated or unsafe water sources. In Lebanon, ongoing political and economic instability has weakened public services, making it harder to maintain consistent water treatment and distribution systems. This connects to the idea that water quality is not just an environmental issue, but also a political and social one. 

Overall, comparing Lebanon, Pakistan, and the United States shows that water quality and access depend on a mix of infrastructure, education, economic stability, and government support. While the United States has stronger systems in place, inequality still exists. Pakistan faces more widespread access issues due to poverty and limited infrastructure, while Lebanon struggles with instability affecting public services. Across all three countries, the biggest takeaway is that solving water-related health problems requires both long-term system improvements and immediate action through education, awareness, and community involvement. On a more local level, this issue can also be addressed in communities like mine in Grayslake, Illinois, and the surrounding Lake County area by increasing school-based education on water safety, supporting local watershed protection programs like those along Lake Michigan, and encouraging students to understand where their municipal water sources are and how they are treated. My conversation with Dr. Muriel Adams from One World Shared Future also emphasized that local action matters because global issues like water quality start at the community level. Simple actions like reducing pollution, learning about local water sources, and supporting environmental initiatives can create real change close to home.