Why does it matter?
Water is fundamental to human survival; however it is a resource which is often taken for granted. Humans can only go a few days without water and dehydration can severely impact our bodily functions. Access to clean water is also not equitable across the world or within countries. We cannot achieve equality without ensuring all human fundamental needs are met. Only about 3% of the global water supply is freshwater and it is now estimated 4 billion people lack safe drinking water globally.
Without water our health rapidly deteriorates. Access to clean, safe drinking water is a key determinant of both mortality and morbidity. Not only is it a leading risk factor for infectious diseases, but also is responsible for over 1 million deaths each year.
In addition, good health is dependent on appropriate sanitation and hygiene. Our healthcare system is reliant on access to safe water to treat patients. Without this, the risk of diseases and infections spreading in healthcare facilities increases.
Our economy is dependent on water. As the world’s population grows, so does our demand for water and sanitation. In order to improve living standards and global productivity, everyone must have access to safe, clean water. Our access to food is also reliant on water, with agriculture being the largest source of freshwater usage globally, accounting for roughly 70% of freshwater withdrawals. But water is often taken for granted as it is a common, shared resource. The real “price” of water is not included in pricing mechanisms. For example looking at the fashion industry, it takes 3,781 litres of water to make one pair of jeans and yet in the UK the average pair of jeans costs only £30.
The targets for this goal are:
- Achieving universal access to safe and affordable drinking water, sanitation and hygiene for all.
- Ensuring equity in access to drinking water, sanitation and hygiene - focusing on the most vulnerable communities and under-represented groups.
- Solving the root causes of poor sanitation, such as eliminating harmful substances entering our water. This includes hazardous chemical, untreated wastewater, pollution and more.
- Build awareness and education on water use and increase better water management. Sustainable use of freshwater to help address water scarcity.
- Protect and restore natural water bodies and ecosystems.
The proportion of the world’s population who can access safe drinking water is increasing - but there is a lot more to do. In 2022, 73% of the world’s population used a safely managed drinking water service – however there was 1.7 billion people who didn’t. This means they did not have a drinking water service on premises, available when needed and free from contamination - leading to increased risk to health and ability to work.
The increasing global population presents a problem, as demand for water will increase. Global warming will exacerbate the problem further as increased temperatures, wildfire and droughts become more frequent and severe, reducing water availability and quality. This will lead to worse hygiene and sanitation and parasite breeding which will increase infectious diseases. And of course, those most vulnerable in society will be disproportionately affected.
Examples of developing water risks includes in the UK, where water companies are spilling sewage into open water bodies – a record amount was spilled in 2024. On the other side of the world, in South Africa, where load shedding of energy has been a problem for years, now water is the next resource at risk of being cut – causing a threat not only to health but also to their economy.