Water is indispensable to life. But, unclean water can carry diseases detrimental to life. Water-borne diseases are a major cause for concern, especially among children — more so, among the poor communities in the developing world where clean, potable water is scarce. The problem is only being accentuated with depletion of water resources, global warming, unprecedented growth of cities and pressures of globalisation and commercialisation of water supply. Water-borne diseases affect nearly four billion people every year, with more than 2.5 million deaths, most of them among poor children. Water-borne infections of the alimentary tract constitute about 3.7 per cent of the global burden of disease, the sixth highest burden on a global scale. And, if one also considers other water-related diseases like helminthiasis [worms] and diseases spread by mosquitoes that breed in stagnant water, the burden looks staggering. by Tulika & Rahul www.caremycolostomy.org