Achieving universal access to clean water and sanitation in an era of water scarcity

As the Millennium Development Goals did earlier, the Sustainable Development Goals have mobilised the international community into what can be the most important, although the most challenging, development goals of the 21st century. However, a main limitation has been that the SDGs considered as a baseline the inaccurate figures that were presented by the UN at the end of the MDGs. These figures were not challenged, not even by the academic community, who in many cases has used them uncritically. As a result, innovative proposals that would improve management of water resources in general and of water supply, sanitation and wastewater management in particular did not emerge, with the consequent negative health and environmental impacts for billions of people globally.

Cecilia Tortajada and Asit K. Biswas, 2018, Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability , Volume 34, pages 21-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2018.08.001

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Taxonomy

• Sanitation
• Water Recycling
• Water

1 Comment

1. Response to Asit Biswas and Cecilia Tortajada

   The article, ‘Achieving universal access to clean water and sanitation in an era of water scarcity: strengthening contributions from academia’does a good job at questioning assessment of the demographics of water and sanitation, and what is suggested by this.  The authors should be commended in their contribution towards dialogue of this overwhelming need.

   By way of minor criticism it should be said that there are concerned groups other than the UN that do similar assessment in the demographics, it seems reasonable to assume that those interested in involvement would take the broader view of including these.  Then they may get a better overview, such that they might be confident in pursuing new and interesting ways of being helpful.

   The authors’ assertion that ‘financial aspects are a main limitation,’ in achieving widespread water and sanitation obscures the primary problem, that rather, the main limitation is one of inadequate ‘partnership for the goals’ - SDG17, by those doing assessment and verification of technologies of remediation.  The approaches to such assessment have been inadequate to the task, though it’s reasonable to be unaware of this.

   Regarding safe drinking water, a particular problem has been that starting in 2009, emphasis on a search for innovative technologies began to diminish.  Rather, support became diffused with limited acceptance of nearly any technology of water treatment that came along.  Because of this those implementing projects in safe drinking water became responsible for their own assessment, while none of the technologies have actually been sustainable.  Sustainability has been relative.

   The authors further assert that, “Unfortunately theoretical frameworks and scientific contributions often focus on situations at the global scale, and local needs tend to be forgotten. Yet, solutions to clean water, sanitation and wastewater management are always local.” 

   To this it might be said, quoting from earlier enlightenment, “think globally and act locally.”  Let’s consider what is generally acknowledged as the primary problem with water that is not safe to drink:  pathogen contamination.  This is a worldwide problem, most pronounced in the developing world, with local application nearly everywhere.

   Considering the assertion that SDG6 tends not to be among the priorities of academia, it’s important to suggest that academics do play an important part in assessment of claims to transformative technologies, among others.  The best they can do may be to assist in keeping those innovators honest, and otherwise their role might be to inspire students into projects of implementation.

   The authors make important points in the need for dialogue and the article is commendable.  Finding the answers is all about being helpful in general, taking SDG17 to heart, partnering to achieve the goals.  Of course, we live in a world where many people are not helpful, seeking their own particular interests and forgetting about the needs of others.  But why are we here, if not to help each other and to better the world?