Challenge: devise and plan the implementation of bold new strategies to ensure that all nations — including those considered to be underdeveloped — have access to clean fresh water while preserving fresh water ecosystems. Your plan should include incentives to get people to act on your solutions. This issue cannot be ignored and quite simply, the future of humankind hangs in the balance.
Background: Global population is expected to exceed 8 billion by 2025 and, when coupled with a rising standard of living, creates increased pressure on ever-dwindling water resources. Nowadays, nearly 800 million people do not have access to sources of clean drinking water and 2.5 billion are without modern sanitation. It is not enough to deal with water alone because ecosystem health is critical to providing sufficient clean water and therefore must be considered in any realistic plan.