LIFESAVER JERRYCAN

Humanity’s relationship with water is full of cruel irony. Roughly 71 percent of Earth’s surface is covered with water, yet water scarcity affects four out of every 10 people, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Too much of it at once, and we drown; not enough, and we die of dehydration. And even when we do have the right amount of water, microscopic pathogens contained within it can cause life-threatening illnesses. The WHO estimates that waterborne diarrheal diseases cause 2-million deaths each year.

Waterborne illnesses don’t just affect those living in poverty-stricken developing nations. They’re a worldwide problem. In the United States, the microscopic parasite cryptosporidium affects close to 750,000 people annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other protozoan cysts, such as giardia, are common in lakes and streams — even those that look and smell clean. In urban areas, hurricanes and