The video highlights that approximately 1.8 billion people worldwide lack access to clean and safe drinking water. This crisis leads to severe health issues, with around 800,000 children under the age of five dying each year from diarrhea-related diseases, which translates to roughly one child every 40 seconds. The lack of clean water, proper sanitation, and hygiene is responsible for around 90% of these deaths.

The video provides a real-life example of a remote village in Guatemala, where the only water source available to the residents is contaminated. The village's water source is located miles away, and the water runs through a pipe to reach the community. Lack of access to clean water in such remote areas contributes to waterborne diseases and suffering among the residents.

The video showcases the efforts of an engineer from Minnesota who is working to provide innovative solutions to address the problem of water contamination in these remote areas. He has developed a system that utilizes a small computer and a sensor to measure the disinfectant (household bleach) needed to treat the water based on its quality. This system is designed to work even in areas with inconsistent water sources, such as those dependent on rainfall.