Water Pollution on the Rise
The number of people affected by pollution in drinking water is expected to double, reaching 2.5 billion by 2050. This increase is powered by rapid industrialization, urbanization, and the growing global population. In fact, a recent European Water Report revealed that 60% of European rivers, lakes, and coastal waters are not in good ecological or chemical condition. Shockingly, over 13,000 water bodies in Europe contain harmful substances like mercury, lead, nickel, or plastic derivatives. Considering that more than 80% of the EU's freshwater comes from rivers and groundwater, this pollution directly will expose humans to these contaminants.