The link to future
Water-related diseases kill a child every eight seconds, and are responsible for 80 per cent of all illnesses and deaths in the developing world.
Water is life. This is not an exaggeration but a statement made with real intent. Natural and human systems are dependent on it. But as statistics worldwide roll out from time to time they convey a different picture. One person in six lives without regular access to safe drinking water. Over twice that number (2.4 billion people) lack access to adequate sanitation. Water-related diseases kill a child every eight seconds, and are responsible for 80 per cent of all illnesses and deaths in the developing world.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Water is not easily accessible to all. For a good proportion of people in the developing world, to have a drink or a pot of soup means walking miles for a bucket of water. The scarcity is increasingly becoming a raising issue and has invited attention of the world bodies. Even the theme of the World Environment Day last year - "Water: Two billion people are dying for it" - highlighted the centrality of water to human survival and sustainable development.
Going by the present scenario, then one of the most important issues facing the mankind is availability of clean freshwater. And it is likely to take still serious dimensions as the growing demands are outstripping supplies with pollution contaminating rivers, lakes and streams. In recognition of the importance of water resources to the planet's future, the United Nations General Assembly had proclaimed 2003 as the 'International Year of Freshwater'.
Taking United Nation's figures in perspective, freshwater is the single most precious element for life on Earth. It is essential for satisfying basic human needs, health, food production, energy and maintenance of regional and global eco-systems. Although 70 per cent of the world's surface is covered by water, only a fraction of that (2.5 per cent) is freshwater, of which 70 per cent is frozen in ice caps. The remainder is present as soil moisture. This leaves less than one per cent of the world's freshwater resources accessible for human use.
In the words of Mr Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General, "Lack of access to water - for drinking, hygiene and food security - inflicts enormous hardship on more than a billion members of the human family."
Notwithstanding the bad water situation, the provision of water services has risen across the developing world during the past 20 years. However, these gains have largely been cancelled out by population growth. The result is that many parts of the world now face the prospect of water scarcity because of climatic change, pollution and over-consumption.
The challenge faced by the world bodies is to provide water services to all, especially the poor; to maximise water productivity, especially in agriculture; and to ensure that rivers and groundwater aquifers that are shared between two or more countries are equitably and harmoniously managed.
Currently, it is estimated that approximately $30 billion per year is spent on meeting drinking water supply and sanitation requirements worldwide. And that an additional $14 to $30 billion per year would be needed to meet the targets on water and sanitation.
As per the World Water Development Report, by the middle of this century, at worst seven billion people in 60 countries will be faced with water scarcity. Climate change will account for an estimated 20 per cent of this increase in global water scarcity. Besides, water quality will worsen with rising pollution levels and water temperatures.
The report calculates that there is an estimated 12,000 km of polluted water worldwide, which is more than the total amount contained in the world's ten largest river basins at any given moment. Therefore, if pollution keeps pace with population growth, the world will effectively lose 18,000 km of freshwater by 2050.
It ranks 122 countries according to the quality of their water as well as their ability and commitment to improve the situation. Many policy-makers and advocates have called for the recognition of water as a human right as an essential step in ensuring that action is taken on behalf of those who are suffering from lack of access to clean water supplies.
What needs to be done
• Changing behaviours in water use, sanitation and hygiene.
• Mobilising the energy and participation of communities, particularly women's groups.
• Setting national targets and plans to generate investment .
• Putting in place policies and regulatory frameworks for water management that take into account both public health and eco-system needs.
• Forming partnerships between private companies, bilateral donors, development agencies, banks, civil society and local communities.
Can it be 24X7
Well, ensuring water that flows round-the-clock is something that some cities in South East Asia have done with ease. And those who intend to replicate the success story in their backyard, it won’t be a tall order.
If Bangkok can do it 100 per cent, closely followed by Phnom Penh where 60 per cent of the city's residents have this privilege, then there are others who are on the way to reach this target. Closer home, some cities/towns in neighboring countries have a flawless supply system in place that ensures continuous supply of water. Besides the cost is less than 15 paise per cubic metre if there is continuous water supply system in place as against 100 paise per cubic metre the people pay (when there is no continuous supply) on account of cost of pumps and treatment.
Besides the best part appears to be that continuous supply cuts down the possibility of water-borne diseases caused on account of pipe leakages.
