A journey to the sharp end of water provision around the world.

This two part series follows people as they make life-preserving trips to their local water source to bring water home to their families.

It could be a well, river, lake, standpipe or muddy hole. It may be within minutes, hours or even days from their homes.

BBC World Service travels around the world, from Asia to Africa to bring to life the realities of water provision.

Programme one of Water Walks:
Alejandra Martins tells the stories of two families one from Bangladesh, the other from Calcutta. In Bangladesh arsenic in the water has a range of serious repercussions.

In Calcutta the family don't have far to walk because the water tap is nearby but there are long queues when they get there. The stress of waiting in these queues causes frustration which can end in fights.


> Listen to programme one


Programme two of Water Walks:
Alejandra Martins reports from Ethiopia and Kenya where she meets two families with different water problems.

In Kenya Maasai families depend on their cattle to live. Both animals and humans have a 14 km round trip to the nearest water point. It's a long way but there's no alternative since water is life.

In Ethiopia drought means that the walk to the nearest water source is a round trip of 25 km. This walk takes nine hours, much of it in the blazing heat.


> Listen to programme two


Water Walks was broadcast during April and May 2003 on the BBC World Service