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Providing water to communities without access
Using an ATM is no longer a novelty to most people. The idea of inserting a bank card into a machine to withdraw cash has been around since 1967 and, according to the World Bank, today there are 42 ATMs per 100,000 people worldwide. The idea that water rather than cash be dispensed is, however, a novelty. While it may sound strange, water ATMs, or automated water dispensing units, are increasing.
the problem
Nature and Context
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Finding ways to make water accessible and safe is crucial for the survival of many. Water ATMs may be a solution. Making places that dispense water at an affordable price can help communities that don't have immediate safe access to water.
Symptoms and Causes
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Globally, we are facing a water crisis like never before. Two thirds of Indian terrain has no perennial river flowing through it, which means that two thirds of the population relies on untreated ground water that is often contaminated. Many lives are lost to diarrhea or renal failure caused by high levels of fluoride or other toxins in water. In America 1.6 million people go without clean water and/or indoor plumbing.
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