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Writer's pictureAmina Bahati

Clean Water and Sanitation

Ensure Availability and Sustainable Management of Water and Sanitation for All


Water is one of the most precious resources on earth that is currently in short supply. Besides threatening biodiversity and ecosystems, desertification causes irreparable damage, such as water scarcity, poor sanitation, and a lack of drinking water. Water is not abundant. Water resource management, wastewater recycling, freshwater resource seeks, water-pollution control, water cost affordability, water quality, and sustainability are vital. SDG-6 sets a number of the most required and efficient ways to slow the water crisis down.


WHY IS CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION SO IMPORTANT?

Some, 74% of the global population had access to safety drinking water (located on premises, available when needed, free of contamination), according to Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene date sheet 2021 by the World Health Organization (WHO)[1].

Diarrhea related to lack of safe water, sanitation and hygiene is a direct cause of child mortality: 525,000 children under five die each year from diarrhea[2]. In addition, poor sanitation and contaminated water are linked to the transmission of diseases such as typhoid fever, dysentery, cholera and hepatitis A.


Water is one of the most precious resources on earth, which is currently scarce and not inexhaustible. Not only does it threaten biodiversity and ecosystems, it causes irreparable damage through desertification, such as water scarcity, poor sanitation and drinking water shortages. Water is not abundant. Water resource management, sanitation, recycling, freshwater resources, water pollution control, affordability of water costs, water quality and sustainability are critical. SDG-6 sets out a series of the most necessary and effective ways to slow down the water crisis.


Current Status


Billions of people live without proper access to drinking water, hygiene, and sanitation. COVID-19 has only underscored the situation which has already been highly urgent. Water stress is getting worse and freshwater ecosystems are dramatically changing. Water resource management, water use control, and water pollution systems are extremely vital at this point.


[1] World Health Organization. Drinking Water. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water

[2] WHO Data Sheet. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diarrhoeal-disease

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