Global water crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

Milestones of the global water crisis1700s to 1800s: Industrialization led to increased urbanization in Europe, highlighting the need for clean water supplies and sanitation.1800s: Water shortages first appeared in historical records.1854: Dr. John Snow discovered the link between water and the spread of cholera during an outbreak in London.1866: In the United States, there were 136 public water systems; by the turn of the century, there were 3,000.1900: Since 1900, more than 11 million people had lost their lives to drought, and more than 2 billion people have been affected.1972: The U.S. Clean Water Act updated 1948 legislation to control water pollution and funded construction of sewage treatment plants.1993: The U.N. General Assembly designated March 22 as World Water Day.2000: The U.N. member states set Millennium Development Goals(MDGs) for development progress, including a 2015 target to halve the number of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water.2003: UN-Water...