Dubai: Next time you pick up a glass of water, keep in mind that each year more than 3.4 million people die from water-related diseases.

To help solve this world-wide problem, organisations and individuals in the UAE have pledged almost Dh69.5 million to the UAE water aid Campaign (UAE Suqia).

On its third day, the campaign raised funds that will help provide clean drinking water to 2,8 million people around the world, achieving 56 per cent of its target.

The UAE Water Aid, which aims to provide clean drinking water to five million people in 60 countries, was launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Saturday.

The project was launched after Shaikh Mohammad realised that the scarcity of clean drinking water affects more than 880 million people around the world.

Mohammad Abdullah Al Haj Al Zarouni, head of Emirates Red Crescent’s Dubai branch, said work on 600 wells has already started.

“We will dig 600 wells in Pakistan, India, Niger, Somalia, Ghana, Sudan, Indonesia, Togo, and Iraq in the first phase of the project. It will take around 20 days to complete and the number of wells depends on each country’s need.”

Al Zarouni said all the work will be done by Emirates Red Crescent, through its 11 offices that are located in different parts of the world, as well as its offices that are available in its 33 embassies.

“All of the people involved in the implementation of the work are from Emirates Red Cresent,” he said.

He also said the project, which will last until next Ramadan, will also target Arab countries that suffer from water scarcity and polluted water in its future phases.

“The campaign is focused on four main parts: digging wells in villages that suffer from scarce water, providing water tanks in places that have water but do not know how to use it wisely, installing pipelines in villages and building water treatment plants that will cost from Dh500,000 to Dh700,000.”

Al Zarouni said providing each service depends on the country’s situation — countries that have water but where tests have shown some of it is polluted will receive water treatments while others that have scarce supply of water will get wells.

“His Highness Shaikh Mohammad realised the importance of the issue and following in Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s footsteps of giving to those in need.”

Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, stressed the importance of giving, linking it to the Emirati culture.

As a result, many organisations and individuals have donated to the campaign, with donations totalling Dh69.45 million to help provide clean drinking water.

The third day of donors included Economic Zones World, which donated Dh7 million to help provide clean drinking water to 280,000 people. An unknown benefactor donated Dh200,000 to help provide clean drinking water to 8,000 people.

Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai Chamber donated Dh2 million each to help provide clean drinking water to a total of 160,000 people.

Al Baraha Quran School donated Dh500,000 to help provide clean drinking water to 20,000 people.

Between 2009 and 2013, the UAE’s total foreign aid related to water problems totalled Dh1.01 billion through various projects in 61 countries around the world, a report of the Ministry of Development and International Cooperation said.