Water- Essential for Global Development

Water is one of the main sources of life yet one billion or 1 in 6 people lack access to a safe freshwater supply. The United Nations defines an adequate water supply being 20 liters per person a day and accessibility to be within 1,000 meters of their place of residency. The primary reasons for the global water shortage are the world’s growing population, mismanagement of water resources, and climate change.

As the population continues to grow, so do basic human needs, adequate sanitation, and commercial and agricultural needs. By 2050, it is estimated the world population will reach 9.3 billion people and will further stress the world’s freshwater resources of 200,000 km^3. For instance, one person’s daily requirement of food uses 2,000-4,000 liters of water in production. Water scarcity will continue to grow as freshwater sources are being polluted from human waste, pesticides for agricultural production, and untreated wastes from industrial processes.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) includes a target to halve the 1990 number of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015. Current trends suggest the safe drinking water target will be met but not adequate sanitation. Most of the progress for safe drinking water has been reached in rural areas. To address this difference, World Water Day in 2011 focused on sustainable management of freshwater resources in urban areas. Currently, 50% percent of the world’s population lives in cities with 10 million or more people with urbanization rates increasing. The lack of infrastructure in these cities is threatening human health and the environment. 2.5 billion people are without adequate sanitation facilities making diarrhea the leading cause of illness and death. Nearly 2 million tons of human waste is disposed daily into healthy waters and 88% of diarrhea deaths are due to a lack of access to sanitation facilities.

The increasing impact climate change is having on water is also a concern. The 4^th assessment report in 2007 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the UN Water acknowledged the urgency to create climate policies to protect and secure water resources. The report stated, "Water and its availability and quality will be the main pressures, and issues, on societies and the environment under climate change.”

Water is a local problem and therefore needs local solutions. The fact that MDGs targets for safe drinking water are met means that solutions are working. Access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities improves health, improves economic conditions, and empowers women. In many developing countries, women collect water and are responsible for farming in their communities. Next week, the nongovernmental organization Water.org will showcase the solutions to combating water scarcity and availability.

Photo Source: Arko Datta/ AFP-Getty Images

Links:

http://www.unwater.org/statistics.html

http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/water/

http://water.org/

http://ipcc.ch/

http://www.unwater.org/

http://www.who.int/gho/mdg/environmental_sustainability/situation_trends_water/en/index.html