“Water” has become one of the most widely discussed global development issues in the past decade, with a surge in support from major foundations, state-funded agencies and multilateral institutions, as well as attention from celebrities, new nonprofits, and businesses looking to present a more globally conscious image.   But what is the water problem and why are people so concerned with it? At the most immediate level, water is about health. Water-borne diseases – primarily diarrheal diseases – are the second leading cause of death of children globally. According to a 2009 World Health Organization report, nearly one in five child deaths – about 1.5 million each year – is due to diarrhea, killing more young children than AIDS, malaria and measles combined1. In this seminar we will unpack the issue of water as a health issue, focusing primarily on diarrheal disease (the primary cause of water-related mortality). We will discuss how LIGTT (The LBNL Institute for Globally Transformative Technologies) approaches the often-murky issue, what we believe to be the biggest challenges in providing clean water, and where promising technologies can help. (Learn more about LIGTT at:  http://ligtt.org/ )