Declining water quality is an acute problem around the world, particularly in developing countries where there are notable increases in agricultural and industrial production, coupled with a lack of adequate wastewater treatment. In many developing countries, waterways traditionally used for drinking water or other community needs have been heavily contaminated. In China, many rivers are so badly polluted that not even industry can use the water and nearly two-thirds of the country’s largest cities have no wastewater treatment facilities. 18 Rising water demand and the lack of adequate sanitation facilities are key reasons why almost 900 million people worldwide.
