A recent report from the World Bank indicates that the lack of toilets and poor hygiene practices in India are costing Asia's third largest economy almost $54 billion every year.
World Bank experts say there are 450,000 deaths out of 575 million cases of diarrhea in every year in India. This is because millions of people in both rural and urban areas still have to defecate in the open, do not wash their hands and have to cope with poor drainage systems.
Of the people affected by poor sanitation, the report suggests that it is children and poor people who suffer the most.
Commented Blane Judd, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering, an executive board member of the World Plumbing Council and an honorary Fellow of the Indian Plumbing Association: “Most of the cost is caused by the health issues which arise from the situation. Premature deaths, treatment of the sick for illnesses like diarrhoea, malaria, trachoma and intestinal worms, as well as the time lost due to illness is costing their economy $38.5 billion a year.”
The CIPHE works closely with other organisations and countries through the World Plumbing Council to help raise the standards of plumbing and improve the safety of water. As part of this international remit, Mr Judd spoke on plumbing for affordable homes at the Builders Association of India convention in Mysore. In 2009 he was presented with his honorary fellowship by the Indian Plumbing Association after he gave a presentation on water conservation at its annual conference.
“One of the major roles of the CIPHE is to protect public health and safety and as an executive board member of the World Plumbing Council there are no geographic boundaries to education,” added Mr Judd.