Water- Leaving on one behind
Recently the United Nations (UN) has launched the ‘World Water Development Report 2019- Leaving on one behind’.
What does the report say?
a) The report says the right to water cannot be separated from other human rights.
b) As per the report, more than two billion people lack even the most basic water services.
c) The report states that women and girls spend an estimated 200 million hours every hour to carry it.
d) More than 800 children under the age of five die of diarrhea every day due to poor water and sanitation.
e) Around 60% of the global population don’t have access to clean water.
f) Refugees and internally displaced people often face severe barriers to the access of water supply and sanitation.
g) The report also warns about the increasing gap between the demand and supply.
h) Rapidly increasing global population, industrialization, urbanization etc. are putting much pressure on the existing water resources.
g) Even, other organizations such as the ‘World Economic Forum’ has warned in its report that ‘Water scarcity’ will be the largest risk in terms of potential impacts.
How the situation is in India?
a) Around one billion people live in the water scarce areas in India.
b) Out of this, 600 million live under the extreme water stress conditions.
c) 330 million Indians have been affected by drought conditions in 2016.
d) 21% diseases are water-related in India.
e) Around 21 major cities in India will face severe water crisis by 2020 in India.
Which initiatives have been launched by the United Nations?
a) As the importance of water conservation was realized, United Nations Water Conference was organized in 1977.
b) International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade was declared during 1981-1990 for the water awareness.
c) United Nations then organized the ‘International Conference on water and Environment’ and ‘Earth Summit 1992’.
d) ‘Water for life International Decade for Action 2005-15’ was organized to promote the water conservation efforts.
e) Water conservation has been given the focus in the ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’.
Where the solutions lie?
ON DOMESTIC/ INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
a) Urgent steps should be taken to improve the water efficiency in every task. For example,
i) Irrigation using underground pipeline than canal system.
ii) ‘Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)’ system in the drinking water system.
b) Reuse water in everyday households, industries
c) Reducing consumption
i) Farmers should prefer less water-intensive crops.
ii) Plantation of millet as they require less water and can go in poor drainage area.
d) Prevention and management of waste
i) Aerators can save nearly 35-40% water per minute.
ii) Composting of the waste can help to save money as well as water usage.
e) Opting for Chemical-free products.
f) Rainwater harvesting methods
ON MASS LEVEL
a) Conserving land for forests and preserving groundwater.
b) Utilisation of ponds and lakes, building check dams, small water bodies, etc.
c) Purifying water
i) Water Purification using Micro/Ultra/Nanofiltration
ii) Reverse osmosis methods
d) Artificial recharge methods such as spreading basins, recharge pits, and shafts, etc.
ON GOVERNANCE LEVEL
a) Regulatory agencies should assure an efficient funding to the water programmes.
b) They must recognize the ‘Right to Water’ and ensure the water reach to the marginalized groups.
c) There is a need to shift from ‘Water-development’ to ‘water-management’ today.
d) Water rationing- meaning setting water limit per individual. This is being followed in Cape Town, South Africa.
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