ATLANTA — Unsanitary water conditions are to blame for 88 percent of all diseases, and agriculture is endangering groundwater worldwide, CNN reported on December 18.

The CNN report, a review of the world water-health situation, relays information from various global sources, such as the World Bank, which reported that water-related problems are responsible for 88 percent of all diseases. Other sources quoted in the CNN report include UNICEF, the US Geological Survey, UNESCO, the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Global Environment Outlook-4, the Natural Resources Defense Council and others.

CNN reporter Rachel Oliver’s report notes that agriculture is responsible for contaminating groundwater directly with pesticides, and indirectly by eutrophication, which allows algal blooms.

Industrial waste is another major contributor to water pollution worldwide, according to the report, which quotes UNESCO saying that as much as 70 percent of industrial waste is dumped untreated into rivers and lakes in the developing world.

The CNN report summarizes some of the challenges contaminated groundwater presents, including a chain of ill-health among populations exposed to it, the time it takes for water to clean itself and the cost of delivering reliable, safe drinking water, especially to developing countries.

UN adviser Jeffrey Sachs said in the article that the financial aspect is not the greatest of the concerns, noting that the amount of money needed now is “miniscule.”

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