University of Nottingham Professor Sarah O'Hara conducted a survey in Kazakhstan and found, despite meeting the U.N. definition of what constitutes safe water, a large number of people reported suffering from illnesses such as hepatitis and gastroenteritis.

O'Hara discovered that if a key U.N. Millennium Development Goal definition of safe water is used, it shows more than 90 percent of people in Kazakhstan have access to safe water and sanitation. But, she said, the definition doesn't take into account the distribution, supply, quality and reliability of the supply. When those factors are considered, she said the actual number of people with access to safe water drops to less than 30 percent.

"The accepted international definition of an improved water source focuses primarily on distance to supply and the amount of water it can provide," said O'Hara. "A household connection, for example, would meet the definition. But our research shows that just because a house in Kazakhstan has a piped water supply, does not mean the water is safe."