Water is the most important element on the planet. Not only is it important for the earth, in general, but it is critical to our survival. Leonardo Da Vinci said: "Water is the driving force of all nature" (Roberts). It is the building block of life. The average person can survive about a week without water (Ogunjimi). Water shortages are increasing around the world, but Africa is currently the most affected. It is the second driest continent among the 7 continents, after Australia (“International Decade for Action 'Water for Life' 2005-2015”). The water crisis in Africa is not solely based on scarcity, but also on water contamination and the actions that can be taken to resolve the dilemma. When the world was younger, ancient civilizations thrived. The key to their prosperity was water. These people knew their need for water and the effects of living without it. Even small groups of people knew how to settle along the water; whether they were lakes or rivers. The Egyptians living along the great Nile River in Africa prospered. Not everyone living in Africa today lives with large sources of water. Many villages are located in or near deserts and do not have direct access to fresh water. Some may travel kilometers to reach the nearest well. As the climate becomes increasingly drier and hotter, there is less water for the world's ever-increasing population. Drought has lasted for years in Africa. The areas most affected by drought are rural areas and urban slums. Millions of people do not have access to this necessity. Millions of people, "...more than 300 of the 800 million people in sub-Saharan Africa live in a water-scarce environment..." (UN). Over the years, the rainfall that usually arrives becomes less frequent. Without a constant supply of rain, water becomes increasingly difficult to come by. A local chief in Ethiopia recalls that it rained only twice in a year (Waititu). Furthermore, wells are drying up. In some areas there are wells