危地马拉农村人口中只有不到一半能获得清洁水，98%的水源受到污染，全国只有15个市镇有可运行的饮用水处理系统。危地马拉的慢性营养不良和儿童生长发育不达标的健康统计数据也是世界上最差的。从长期来看，长期营养不良和疾病不仅会导致发育迟缓，还会导致儿童无法充分发挥其遗传和教育潜力，从而降低其生产力和收入能力。尽管在过去十年里努力改善供水系统，但改善工作并没有跟上人口增长和移民的步伐。由于人们认为集中式水处理设施的成本很高，对水系统的投资也有所下降。然而，提供安全用水并不一定成本高昂。本文探讨了缺乏安全饮用水是如何导致腹泻病和慢性营养不良的高发病率的，以及如何为危地马拉人口提供清洁饮用水。 四个因素被认为是向家庭或小社区提供清洁饮用水的关键，所有这些因素都可以以相对较小的成本实现。包括37个参考文献、表格、图表。

Less than half of the rural Guatemalan population has access to clean water, 98% of the country's water sources are contaminated and only 15 municipalities in the country have operational drinking water treatment systems. Guatemala also has among the world's worst health statistics for chronic malnutrition and substandard child growth attainment. Over the long term, chronic malnutrition and disease leads not only to stunted growth but also to the likelihood that children will not reach their full genetic and educational potential, thus reducing their productivity and earning power. Despite efforts to improve water systems over the past decade, improvements have not kept pace with population increases and migration. Investment in water systems has also declined because of the perceived high cost of centralized water treatment facilities. However, providing safe water does not have to be cost-prohibitive. This article explores how the lack of safe water significantly contributes to the high incidence of diarrheal disease and chronic malnutrition and what can be done to provide clean drinking water to the Guatemalan population. Four factors, all of which can be accomplished at a relatively minor cost, are identified as key to providing clean drinking water to a household or small community. Includes 37 references, table, figure.