The United Nations (The right to water) The UN is the worldwide leader in managing and solving freshwater issues. The key message to come out of the United Nations World Water Development Report 2 published in 2006 is that “At present our society has not yet attained a level of sustainability whereby humanity honours and respects life upon this planet and uses fairly and equitably the resources it provides.” Introduction Throughout history technological advances have met the needs of human kind. The Roman aqueducts helped solve the problem of water deficiency in their cities and as William Mulholland stated on completion of the Los Angeles aqueduct in 1913 “We are here consecrating this water supply and dedicating the aqueduct to you and your children and your children’s children for all time” proof that there has been a notion of sustainability in engineering for some time. This leads to the argument that for a solution to this problem we either have to reuse the water we dispose of or look to engineering solutions for supply. One billion people lack access to a steady supply of water. One third of the population of the world do not have access to proper sanitation. Inequality is a major issue worldwide. In many developed countries groundwater is being consumed faster than it is being replenished. Only 1% of household water supply is actually consumed. Key References (accessed March 2009) United Nations World Water Development Report Global Water Partnership (TAC) Integrated Water Resource Management Gray, N.F Drinking Water Quality: Problems and Solutions Mays. Larry W: 2001, Water Resources Engineering Hermanowiscz, S.W Sustainability in Water Resource Management: Changes in Meaning and Perception. Crichlow Oct 2000.Water Resources Management for Sustainability. The challenge A framework for sustainable water resource management requires a balance between supply and demand and one that allows for intergenerational equity. Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) as laid out by the Global Water Partnership (GWP) outlines certain principles and recommendations for water resource management. Some of the major aspects include public education and awareness, stakeholder participation, research, technology and poverty reduction. IWRM suggests large scale investments and change in government legislations regarding funding and a general change in mindset resulting from education from all sectors of society. SUPPLYREUSE In water resource management there are normally one or two sources of supply. One for normal use and one when a deficit occurs. Under circumstances where a deficit there are several options: Water importing: Appropriate in emergencies but an expensive and unreliable as a long term option Seeding: Cheap but environmental damage makes this a controversial solution Desalinisation: Expensive solution but provides an independence from external supply Natural Ice: Untried method. Politically sound? Water reuse is the use of treated wastewater for beneficial purposes. There are many proven techniques of water reuse available. It has the potential to reduce problems associated with present uneconomical methods of wastewater disposal. In some cases water reuse may not be an aesthetically or culturally acceptable solution. Psychological barriers associated with consuming reused water prove an issue which can lead to an increase in bottled water consumption. What Next? Somebody must take responsibility for what is fast becoming a world wide issue. A grass-roots approach is needed with education at its core as large scale investment from developed countries will not suffice in solving this long term problem. Engineering solutions provide a foundation for water supply but studies show that what is really needed for a long term sustainable approach is an ingrained sense of social responsibility. Water Supply in Africa (and other LEDC’s) Implementation of Village Level Operations and Maintenance (VLOM) policies highlights the need for self sufficiency: Where hand-pumps were installed in villages the knowledge and skills weren’t available to restore the pump should it fail. In cases where a service was shared between larger communities a lack of sense of responsibility meant that the service often fell into in a state of disrepair. This poses a question as to whether such a service is valued and if so why is there a lack of responsibility?