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We rely upon clean water to survive. We need water to drink, cook our food, clean ourselves, and water our crops. However, if water is too dirty, or there is no water around, we cannot survive.
Water is polluted naturally, but often the real damage is done by humans.
When water is polluted with waste and sewage, harmful bacteria and viruses can thrive making it very dangerous for humans to use to drink, bathe and prepare food with.
Water polluted with chemicals can kill marine life - suffocating and poisoning fish.
In developed countries, heavily polluted water can be cleaned and made safe before it ends up in our taps, but this process can be very intensive and use huge amounts of energy.
However, in less developed countries, sanitising polluted water isn't always possible. Therefore, some people drink, bathe and cook their food in water which can damage their health.