Water Security for All
Water security is one of the most critical issues confronting the world today. Climate change, coupled with environmental and demographic pressures, mean some of the greatest challenges are faced in developing and emerging economies.
The World Economic Forum recently published The Global Risks of Highest Concerns. Their findings highlighted that the Water Crisis will be the biggest risk for the next 10 years. From too much water to too little; from poor water quality to the resource revolution; from aging infrastructure to stormwater innovations, and every other water need and challenge that happens from the source to tap and back to nature –- water management is going to be a major concern.
The World Bank estimates that since 1990 an additional 2.1 billion people worldwide gained access to improved sanitation; and 91% of the global population now use improved drinking water sources. However, many people have to manage with poor service quality, including intermittent supplies, and global water demand is expected to exceed supply by 40% by 2030. In Latin America only 65% and 22% of the population enjoy access to safely managed water and sanitation respectively.
“Water is pivotal for societal development, environmental health and sustainable economic growth”, says Professor Kala Vairavamoorthy, Executive Director of the International Water Association. “There is enormous potential to address water challenges by implementing available solutions and best practice at scale, as well as through innovations in science, technology and policy.”
Today more than 700 million people, still use unimproved drinking water sources; and some 2.5 billion people unimproved sanitation facilities. The numbers are much worse among the most vulnerable segments of society and in the most remote areas of our world. The Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the 70th UN General Assembly, specifically Goal No. 6, seeks to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by the year 2030 which means governments should work not just on ensuring service quality. They must also reduce wastewater pollution, strengthen water governance, boost efficiency in the use of water resources, and protect our liquid natural capital.
Sustainable development will not be achieved without a water secure world. A water secure world integrates a concern for the intrinsic value of water with a concern for its use for human survival and well-being. A water secure world harnesses water's productive power and minimises its destructive force. Water security also means addressing environmental protection and the negative effects of poor management. It is also concerned with ending fragmented responsibility for water and integrating water resources management across all sectors—finance, planning, agriculture, energy, tourism, industry, education and health.
A water secure world reduces poverty, advances education, and increases living standards. It is a world where there is an improved quality of life for all, especially for the most vulnerable—usually women and children—who benefit most from good water governance.
