WATER–an almost infinite resource, yet besieged with problems of access, cleanliness, and sanitation. It is the most efficient of resources, able to recycle and regenerate itself through natural processes. Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, ground water absorption, containment and flow. It is possibly the easiest to get, yet about 2.2 billion people are denied clean, potable and reliable water daily.
In war-torn Ukraine, as the snow is melting and rivers are streams are filling up, the tap water faucets aren’t working and there is little or no access to clean drinking water. There are millions of Ukrainians living in cities besieged by Russia’s unjust and brutal war. Of those about half are children, unable to access the basic necessities of life. Russia’s attempted annexation of Ukraine has denied the citizens of that nation, their right to clean water.
Niger, the largest country in West Africa is also the one with the least access to clean, potable water and also has one of the worst sanitation systems in the world. The country is among the world’s poorest, as more than 40 percent its population lives on less than three dollars a day. It is a predominantly agricultural nation in much need of water but where there are frequent water shortages and droughts in its arid, desert-like environment. Nature has denied the Nigeriens of their right to safe water.
But not only underdeveloped countries face water shortages. In China and India, water shortages and poor sanitation continue to hound these powerful economies. Not only in the far rural areas, but even amidst the prosperity of its main cities. The lack of water brings stress to the population and may emergeas a major social and economic threat.
According to the Lowy Institute, across China, an estimated 80—90 per cent of groundwater is unfit for drinking, while half of its aquifers are too polluted to tap for industry or farming. For river water, these figures are 50 per cent and 25 per cent respectively. And although freshwater resources are abundant, they are distributed unevenly sometimes unavailable to many regions of the country. Also freshwater sources are declining. In North China, groundwater levels have declined by a meter per year. The aquifers that usually collect water have collapsed making them useless to store water. This has triggered land subsidence and compromised the aquifers’ potential for future recharge. Neglect and lack of policy has made some citizens of China, longing for a reliable source of water.
Water resource guardian water.org reports that almost fifty four percent of India’s 1.3 billion people–about 746 million people lack access to safely managed household sanitation facilities. 99 million people (about a sixth of the population) lack access to safe water. Over 500 children in India before the age of five die each day cannot survive through to a diarrheal disease. Lack of adequate and appropriate toilets used to contribute to the main reason for open defecation in India.
In nearby San Pablo City, Laguna the locals are blaming a mineral water plant owned by Nestle for draining the water table and reducing water availability to residents. Despite being surrounded by seven freshwater lakes, the city cannot draw water from the lakes because these are not recharged quickyenough. The city needs 45,000 cubic liters a day and the local water district can only supply 31,000 liters daily. In 2019, the San Pablo City Water District declared a state of calamity due to an impending shortage in water supply. The city sources its water from groundwater which has not been recharged by the rains. Partisan politics involved in business has taken away water from its rightful owners.
Water shortages, the unfair distribution of water and the outright denial of water to the population are just some of the injustices that come with water management. A dry faucet serves as a grim, powerful reminder of the importance of water to our lives and livelihoods.
WATER SITUATION IN THE ASEAN
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is facing a growing water crisis due to a combination of factors, including population growth, urbanization, industrialization, and climate change.
Some of the key challenges that ASEAN countries are facing in regards to water management include:
- Uneven distribution of water resources: The region experiences uneven distribution of rainfall, with some areas facing droughts while others suffer from flooding. This makes it difficult to manage water resources effectively.
- Water pollution: Rapid industrialization and urbanization have resulted in high levels of water pollution, particularly in rivers and other surface water sources.
- Groundwater depletion: Over-extraction of groundwater for agriculture and other uses has led to the depletion of aquifers, particularly in areas where surface water sources are limited.
- Lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation: Despite progress in recent years, many people in the ASEAN region still lack access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation facilities.
- Climate change: Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns are expected to exacerbate water scarcity and increase the frequency and intensity of floods and droughts.
To address these challenges, ASEAN has developed a number of initiatives and frameworks to promote sustainable water management, such as the ASEAN Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Framework, the ASEAN Strategic Plan of Action on Water Resources Management, and the ASEAN Water Partnership. However, more needs to be done to ensure that water resources are managed sustainably and that everyone in the region has access to safe and reliable water services.
THE PHILIPPINE WATER CRISIS
The Philippines is heading for a major water crisis due to several factors, including population growth, urbanization, pollution, and climate change. The government and various organizations are taking several measures to address this issue, including:
- Improving water infrastructure: The government is investing in water infrastructure projects, such as building new dams, reservoirs, and treatment facilities, to increase water supply and distribution capacity.
- Promoting water conservation: The government is implementing campaigns to promote water conservation and encourage households and businesses to use water more efficiently.
- Addressing water pollution: The government is taking measures to address water pollution by enforcing laws and regulations to control industrial wastewater discharges, implementing programs to reduce pollution from agricultural activities, and promoting proper waste management practices.
- Providing access to safe drinking water: The government is working to provide safe drinking water to more communities, particularly those in rural areas.
- Encouraging public-private partnerships: The government is promoting public-private partnerships to encourage private sector investment in water infrastructure and services.
- Strengthening water governance: The government is strengthening water governance and policy frameworks to improve water management and ensure equitable access to water resources.
The Philippines still faces significant challenges in addressing its water crisis. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has approved the creation of a Water Resource Management Office (WRMO). The broad objective of the new agency is to manage the country’s water resources. More than that it will work with various stakeholders, all of whom are taking significant steps to promote sustainable water management practices and improve access to safe and reliable water services.
ABOITIZ AND WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT
Reliable water processing, adequate storage and unimpeded distribution are all part of Aboitiz investments in water
The Aboitiz Group, a known Philippine techconglomerate, with interests in energy, finance, food, infrastructure, technologies like data science and artificial intelligence is actively involved in addressing the water crisis in the Philippines.
The company’s subsidiary, Aboitiz InfraCapital, has been investing in water infrastructure projects to increase access to clean and safe water in the country.
Aboitiz InfraCapital has partnered with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) to develop a new water supply source, the Kaliwa Dam project, which aims to provide an additional 600 million liters of water per day to Metro Manila and nearby provinces. The company is also involved in the operation and maintenance of the existing water infrastructure in the country, including water treatment facilities, reservoirs, and pipelines.
An example of the water management projects of AboitizInfra is the LIMA water project in Batangas that oversees the water and wastewater services operations of LIMA Estate in Malvar, Batangas. The project is set to launch its septage treatment services for neighboring cities and municipalities in the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, and Quezon.
Moreover, Aboitiz has also been working to promote water conservation and efficiency. The company has implemented water recycling and rainwater harvesting systems in its facilities to reduce water consumption and has been promoting water conservation practices among its employees and customers.
In addition to its water-related initiatives, Aboitiz Group has also been actively involved in promoting sustainability and environmental protection. The company has set targets to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and has been implementing renewable energy projects to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.
The Aboitiz Group’s active role in addressing the water crisis in the Philippines, through investments in water infrastructure, promoting water conservation, and supporting sustainability and environmental protection initiatives.
IS THE WATER SHORTAGE A GLOBAL EMERGENCY?
At this particular time, just as the the world opens up from the lockdowns, water shortage has become a global emergency that is affecting many parts of the world. The scarcity of water is becoming an increasingly urgent issue due to several factors, including population growth, urbanization, climate change, and pollution.
According to the United Nations, by 2025, almost two-thirds of the world’s population could be facing water shortages, and half of the world’s population could be living in areas of high water stress. Water scarcity can have serious social, economic, and environmental consequences, such as:
- Impacts on public health: Lack of access to clean water and sanitation can lead to the spread of waterborne diseases, causing illness and even death.
- Food insecurity: Water scarcity can lead to reduced crop yields and agricultural productivity, affecting food production and causing food shortages.
- Economic impacts: Water shortages can disrupt business operations and reduce economic growth, particularly in water-intensive industries like agriculture and manufacturing.
- Environmental impacts: Water scarcity can lead to the degradation of ecosystems and loss of biodiversity, as well as increasing the risk of wildfires and other natural disasters.
To address these challenges, there is a need for collective action at the local, regional, and global levels to promote sustainable water management practices and ensure equitable access to water resources. This includes investing in water infrastructure, promoting water-efficient technologies and practices, and improving water governance and policy frameworks.
OFF TRACK
Although the water use efficiency worldwide rose by about 12 percent, the United Nations still says that they are “seriously off-track to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.” The UN says that this creates the situation wherein billions of people and countless schools, businesses, healthcare centers, farms and factories don’t have the safe water and toilets they need.
Steady progress has happened since 2019 though. The assessment of rivers, lakes and aquifers in 97 countries in 2020 for example, shows that 60 per cent of water bodies have good water quality. For at least 3 billion people, the quality of the water they rely upon is unknown owing to a lack of monitoring.
Between 2015 and 2020, the population with safely managed sanitation increased from 47 per cent to 54 per cent and the population with access to handwashing facilities with soap and water in the home increased from 67 per cent to 71 per cent. Rates of progress for these basic services would need to quadruple for universal coverage to be reached by 2030.
THE UN 2023 WATER CONFERENCE
The UN 2023 Water Conference is happening starting today until the 24th and is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to unite the world around solving the water and sanitation crisis. National governments and stakeholders from all levels of society will come together to commit to action. At the Conference the Water Action Agenda will be launched.
The United Nations in a statement said that the UN 2023 Water Conference will be convened by no less than the UN General Assembly. The parameters of the outcomes of the UN 2023 Water Conference are described in General Assembly resolution 75/212, while the mandated outcome document of the Conference is a summary of its proceedings.
“We need clear commitments, pledges and actions, across all our sectors, industries and interests, uniting nations, stakeholders and professionals on actions that help deliver on the water actions in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, actions that can be scaled and replicated in the years to come. Such commitments will be compiled in the Water Action Agenda, another key outcome of the Conference. The emphasis should be on accelerated implementation and improved impact towards achieving SDG 6 and other water-related goals and targets, looking at content, process and structure. The existing and future challenges in the field of water require innovative and transformative ideas and a “beyond business as usual” approach,” the United Nations Water Action Agenda stated.
THE UN WORLD WATER DAY
Since 1970, eighty one per cent of species dependent on inland wetlands have declined faster than those relying on other biomes, and an increasing number of these species are facing extinction. But over the past 300 years, over 85 per cent of the planet’s wetlands have been lost, mainly through drainage and land conversion, with many remaining wetland areas degraded.
To accelerate change, the United Nations calls for more action. Some of these actions are the UN World Water Development Report, which is usually presented at the UN 2023 Water Conference. At the conference, various stakeholders learn about and call for access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene is the most basic human need for health and well-being.
The UN World Water Day is an annual event celebrated on March 22nd to raise awareness about the importance of water and the need for sustainable management of freshwater resources. It was first proposed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 and has been observed every year since then.
Each year, the UN World Water Day has a specific theme that highlights a particular aspect of water management. The theme for World Water Day 2022 is “Water and Climate Change,” which focuses on the impacts of climate change on freshwater resources and the need to take action to protect and conserve them.
The UN World Water Day provides an opportunity to bring together governments, civil society, and the private sector to discuss water-related issues and promote the sustainable management of freshwater resources. It also serves as a platform to share best practices, innovative solutions, and success stories in water management and conservation.
The celebration of World Water Day includes various events and activities, such as seminars, workshops, exhibitions, and community events. These activities aim to raise awareness about the importance of water, promote good water management practices, and mobilize action to address water-related challenges.
The UN World Water Day is a significant global event that highlights the importance of water and the need for sustainable management of freshwater resources. It serves as a reminder of the critical role that water plays in our lives and the urgent need to protect and conserve this vital resource for future generations.
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QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE GLOBAL WATER SITUATION
(Compiled from UN Sustainability Goals reports from 2019-2022)
- In 2020, 74 per cent of the global population had access to safely managed drinking water services, up from 70 per cent in 2015. Still, two billion people live without safely managed drinking water services, including 1.2 billion people lacking even a basic level of service, in 2020.
- At the current rates of progress, 1.6 billion people will lack safely managed drinking water, 2.8 billion people will lack safely managed sanitation, and 1.9 billion people will lack basic hand hygiene facilities in 2030.
- Eight out of 10 people who lack even basic drinking water service live in rural areas, and about half of them live in least developed countries .
- Across the world, water stress levels remained safe at 18.6 per cent in 2019.
Southern Asia and Central Asia registered high levels of water stress at over 75 per cent, whereas Northern Africa registered a critical water stress level of over 100 per cent. Since 2015, water stress levels have increased significantly in Western Asia and Northern Africa.- Data from 2017 and 2020 suggest only 32 countries have 90 per cent or more of their transboundary waters covered by cross-border cooperative arrangements.
