Worldwide, 2.5 billion people do not have access to adequate sanitation. Due to diseases caused by inadequate sanitation, 1.8 million children die every year. 
Millions more suffer from poor health, and cannot work or attend school. At any one time, half of all hospital beds in developing countries are filled with people suffering from diarrhea, the primary disease caused by sanitation inadequacies.
However, by providing safe water, sanitation and hygiene education, the number of diarrhea-related deaths are reduced by about 65 percent.
For every $1 invested in sanitation development, $9 is returned in increased productivity and a reduced burden on health care systems. And, by improving sanitation facilities in developing countries, experts predict a 15-year increase in life expectancy!
