We don’t think twice when we turn on a tap or nip to the toilet.

But for many people across the world, being able to do this would be seen as a kind of miracle. More than a billion people do not have access to safe water, and more than two billion lack adequate sanitation.

Lack of safe water and sanitation can have horrendous consequences – one child dies every 15 seconds from diseases linked to it.

These deaths could easily be prevented. The charity WaterAid – founded in 1981 by companies including Bradford-based Yorkshire Water – is working to this end.

Operating in 27 countries mostly across Africa and Asia, its efforts led to ten new water points being built every day in 2013, and every hour the charity helped more than 100 people to get access to clean water and sanitation.

Saturday is World Water Day, a United Nations-led initiative which raises awareness of these issues. This week, WaterAid UK is asking people to pledge their support online, culminating in a display of names on a ‘watergraph’ at London’s Canary Wharf tomorrow and Thursday.

Names will then be taken to the House of Lords next Monday, where WaterAid will be asking the Government to play a leading role in getting clean water, sanitation and hygiene to everyone, everywhere, by 2030.

Along with its parent company Kelda Group, Yorkshire Water is helping to address the daily struggle many face when trying to access what people in developed nations take for granted.

In 2012 and 2013, staff raised £254,000 for WaterAid, and this year for the first time it is specifically supporting an individual country.

Staff have pledged to raise £1 million for projects in Ethiopia, and over the next five years they are going to help 20 towns – with an estimated total population of 914,847 – gain access to clean water and sanitation.

“Due to the way WaterAid is funded it allocates funding but because Yorkshire Water was one of the founding companies we have been able to nominate a country,” says Erica Lack, one of a number of employees who have been involved with the charity, As WaterAid committee secretary, Erica helps to steer a number of projects. “Our work is not just about finance. We take project management skills, engineering experience and computer skills to enable people to produce spreadsheets and hold Skype meetings with us to discuss progress.

“We also look at how to engage the more wealthy people in the country in fundraising.”

A year ago Erica travelled to India to visit WaterAid projects before and after intervention to see what a difference they can make.

“One of the rural villages had no road access and no electricity,” she says. “The nearest village was 15km away and the closest water source 1km walk away. It was complete subsistence living. Parents worked in the forest collecting firewood and the daughters collected water.

“They walked around 7km a day carrying loads of up to 20kg. The water source was available to 75 families. It is poverty like you’ve never seen before – they literally do nothing but collect water.”

Carrying heavy containers on the head, hip or back can have severe health implications, leading in some cases to curved spines and pelvic deformities.

Not having somewhere safe and clean to go to the toilet means that many women, wishing to preserve their dignity and privacy, have to wait until dark to relieve themselves. As well as causing discomfort and illness, this can expose them to the risk of sexual harassment and animal attacks.

A lack of toilets in schools means that girls often drop out as they reach puberty.

The remote village in India now has an accessible pump, adds Erica, who helps to organise activities to generate funds for the charity. Sponsored cycle rides, walks, music events and pub quizzes are held, and charity balls raise thousands of pounds every year.

Richard Flint, Yorkshire Water chief executive, says: “One of our key objectives as a business is to ensure we always provide safe water to all our customers in Yorkshire.

“However, we also have a role to play in making water and sanitation safe and accessible for everyone around the world.

“Yorkshire Water was a founder member of WaterAid and since then colleagues throughout the company have helped raise awareness and vital funding.

“Going forward, we will be working closely with WaterAid in Ethiopia, and not only do we aim to raise £1 million over the next five years, but we will be also helping by making use of the expertise of the company’s staff to assist with the project.”

Visit wateraid.org/uk; yorkshirewater.com.