Unsafe Water Killing One Child in Ten before their first birthday

In Cambodia, unsafe drinking water kills over 10,000 people every year, half of whom are children.  About ten percent of Cambodian children die before they are a year old.

 

Many of these deaths are due to preventable, waterborne diseases or mosquito-driven ailments spawned by the nation’s poor sanitation facilities. Most water comes from wells, rain water reservoirs and community ponds.

 
Nearly 80 of all Cambodians live in rural areas, but less than four out of ten have access to clean water.  Decades of conflict destroyed much of Cambodia’s water supply infrastructure, which declined in efficiency since the 1960s.