A Guide to Water and Early Childhood Development

Explore the many ways that water shapes development—beginning before birth—including the importance of safe drinking water and the increasing impacts of extreme weather events, such as flooding.

Water is essential for life. All our biological systems require continued hydration to function, and while water comprises around 60% of the adult body, 75% of infants’ bodies are water. Children also drink more water per pound of body weight than adults, with infants consuming the most through formula prepared with water or breast milk, making access to safe, reliable water supplies essential to early childhood development and lifelong health and well-being.

In the US, the systems that were once widely presumed to produce nearly universal, clean, and affordable water have serious gaps and challenges. Additionally, freshwater supplies are being threatened by droughts, overuse, and contamination, exacerbated by climate change. Inequities in access to clean water are the result of decisions that we have made over time, and new decisions can reverse these inequities and provide all people with access to clean drinking water, with profound effects on the health and well-being of our children. Explore the resources in this guide to learn how new policies and community-driven solutions can help address these issues and support healthy development.