Asia-Pacific Water Forum

Global WASH movement and Water Scarcity

Dr.Roy Kunjappy
WASH Coalition, Kerala (India)
Centre for Community Health Research, India
E-mail:roycchr@satyam.net.in

For Health:
One gram of faeces can contain 10 million viruses, 1 million bacteria, 1 thousand parasite cysts, and a
hundred worm eggs. Safe disposal of faeces is the most important of all public health priorities.

For Development:
Sustainable development starts with people's health and dignity. Water supply alone does not
transform human health. Sanitation is even more important. And hygiene is most important of all.

For livelihoods:
At any one time almost half of the developing world's people are suffering from diseases associated
with lack of WASH. The strain on families - on earnings, time, energy, and budgets - is enormous.

For Children:
The very young are hit hardest by the neglect of the WASH issue. The worst consequence is
diarrhoeal disease - which kills six thousand children every day of the year.

For Dignity:
Many millions of women have to wait until after dark before going to defecate. They face the fear and
sometimes the reality, of harassment and sexual assault, and attacks by snakes and wild animals.

Sanitation and Hygiene where Water is Scarce
In poor rural communities, faecal-oral contamination - excrement to mouth - is thought to be the
major cause of infectious disease transmission. Water, through hand washing and cleaning, serves
as a barrier to contamination and infection. Where water is scarce, hygiene and cleaning practices
suffer, and the barrier to faecal contamination is low. All the more reason to ensure safe disposal of
faeces - all the more reason for improved sanitation.

And even where water is scarce, unsafe storage and disposal of (waste) water can breed vectors of
disease. Mosquitoes use the wastewater puddles and water storage facilities as breeding grounds,
continuing the spread of malaria. All the more reason for home hygiene. But what about sparsely populated areas? Arid regions house few people -lots of space for open defecation!

No. Wherever there is open defecation, traces of excreta will find their way into the families'
compounds, yards, homes, hands and mouths, being carried by flies, dogs, cattle, children, or insects.
Contamination is a matter of when, not if. Not to mention the degradation of rivers and soils. The
main pollution of soils and water is by faeces, not by industrial waste.

So what to do?
Promote sanitation and hygiene through public education and promotion campaigns. The most
successful sanitation programmes are those focused on raising demand, for instance through social
marketing campaigns, for improved sanitation and water services, and promoting hygienic
behaviour, such as hand washing, safe water storage, and safe waste disposal.

There is no such thing as the ideal technology, and it is best to let households decide for themselves
what kind of latrine to build. These home-built latrines may not directly count as improved sanitation,
but they will be a viable first step on what is known as the 'sanitation ladder', i.e. the first intervention
which will increase awareness of the benefits of sanitation, and begin to lead to the installation and
use of a sanitary latrine.

Sanitation options in water scarce areas
The first purpose of a sanitation facility is to protect the environment from faecal contamination by
isolating excreta or safely disposing of it. The easiest way to isolate excreta without using water, is in a
pit latrine. The most basic form of improved sanitation is a pit latrine with slab. One step up from this
is a Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) toilet, which prevents bad smells and flies. Another form of sustainable sanitation that also protects the environment, is ecological sanitation, or ecosan. Here, the faeces are reused, usually as compost.

Neither of the above systems require water to function. However, they require a basic investment in
construction costs, and presuppose that users will stay in one place. Where even basic investment
costs cannot be met, or where communities live nomadic lives, sanitation programmes should aim to
promote at least hygienic open defecation, where a dedicated area is marked for defecation, and
faeces are covered with soil.

Water Supply
People have lived in arid regions for centuries and have devised many ways to preserve water. But
many of that knowledge has gone lost, and people currently living in arid regions may not have always
done so. Returning to some of the old, tried and tested technologies can make a great difference. For
instance, rainwater harvesting. Even arid regions generally have a period of increased rainfall, which
can be harvested and preserved in reservoirs, so that it can serve the communities during dry seasons. As much of the water that people in arid regions currently use is not safe to drink, simple household level treatments should also be promoted. For instance, solar disinfection, or the use of basic filters.

Hygiene interventions
Where there are people, there is water. If not, they would not be surviving there. Therefore the often
used argument that hand washing with soap cannot be promoted because of lack of water, is flawed.
However, people in arid regions generally survive on less than 20 litres per day per person, and have
many conflicting priorities for that water. Therefore any hygiene and hand washing promotion needs to
be based on simple technologies that use a minimum of water.

The time to act is now:
When planning to improve WASH services and practices in an area, look hard at what currently exists, try to understand current practices and plan to build and improve from there. Sustainable rural water supply and sanitation services are maintained and managed by communities and households. As long as there are sustainable support structures for the communities to fall back on. This requires capacity and appropriate institutions at local government level (Courtesy: WSSCC, 2007)

| by Dr.Roy Kunjappy | 04.24 2007 02:31 | url: |

As said above water is a life-sustaining resource.Over the last century, global water withdrawals have increased more than twice as fast as the population growth. In Asia and pacific region, the problems are especially dire, where freshwater supply is among the lowest in the world. One in three Asians lacks access to safe drinking water within 200 meters of home, and half the people living in Asia do not have basic sanitation

| by Obed Kawanga | 04.17 2007 17:18 | url: |

The 21st century debuted with one of the most fundamental conditions of human development unmet: universal access to vital water services. Water is perhaps the most basic resource: UN Department of Technical Cooperation for Development states that
"it is essential for life, crucial for relieving poverty, hunger and disease and critical for economic development"

| by Subin Alex | 04.16 2007 08:46 | url: |

Water is a common good and human right, and should not be commodified for profit; yet increasingly water and sanitation services are being privatized by multinational corporations. Protests against the sale of public water services to multinational corporations have been mounted worldwide from Bolivia to Ukraine, in India and even in the United States.

| by Manoj John | 04.16 2007 07:57 | url: |

Water is a strong entry point for global advocacy on connected issues such as human rights, economic justice, poverty, reproductive rights, land, health, HIV/AIDS, and energy. Further, water is the most precious resource on Earth and a fundamental building block for healthy environments and economies.

| by Dr.V.R.Prakasam | 04.16 2007 07:56 | url: |

The former Prime Minister of Portugal, Mario Soares has recently said water as "a basic human right." Soares further explained that water is the source of one of the largest political battles of the 21st century and that the distribution of water is no longer guaranteed by public services of States or Communities but rather is now controlled by private companies who are trying to profit with the privatization of water.

| by Jasmine Cheriyan | 04.16 2007 07:49 | url: |

Hi there!
Have you seen this brand new blog of Gender Water Network of the Asia Pacific region? Please check it out at http://rspas.anu.edu.au/blogs/gwnblog and feel free to talks about any issue related to water, disasters & gender.

| by Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt | 04.15 2007 00:29 | url: http://rspas.anu.edu.au/blogs/gwnblog |

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in a statement pressing world leaders to adopt a treaty guaranteeing clean water and sanitation for its people, a task he says is more daunting than ending the nuclear arms race during the Cold War. Dwindling water supplies and political resistance have hampered efforts to bring fresh water to poor people around the world. He envisions a binding agreement that makes access to water and basic sanitation a human right.

| by Riya Mary | 04.12 2007 01:27 | url: |

FACTS AND FIGURES ON WATER AS A HUMAN RIGHT

 The right to water is already recognized in several legal or political instruments. It guarantees access to water, without discrimination, in a permanent and sustainable manner – and at a socially and economically acceptable cost. It also addresses the issues of subsidiarity, solidarity, and cooperation.
 Increasing recognition is accorded to the right to water, in terms of a human right to a supply of safe water, the role of water rights in helping to deal with local competition for water and in dealing with social, economic and environmental problems.
 Recognizing water as a human right can have a significant impact on national water law, policy, advocacy and development programmes. It can also be a way of promoting an enhanced effort by the international community and local governments to improve water resources management and to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on water supply and sanitation.
 The United Nations affirmed the right to water on 26 November 2002, noting that such a right is ‘indispensable for leading a life in human dignity’ and ‘a prerequisite for the realization of other human rights’.
 Only a few countries have made formal legal commitments to acknowledge a right to water, but even fewer have matched an explicit right to water in their constitutions with actual implementation.
 The Constitution of South Africa states: ‘Everyone has the right to have access to sufficient food and water.’ Water policies and measures to implement this right in South Africa are now being developed.
 In 2004, a Uruguayan referendum enacted the human right to water into the Constitution when more than 64% of the population voted in favour of the amendment.
 Kenya, in its 2004 draft constitution, is now considering the explicit inclusion of the right to water and sanitation in its legislation.
 The Constitution of the Republic of Uganda 1995 provides that every Ugandan is entitled to clean and safe water. The National Water Policy and Water Statute also re-iterate that in allocating water for different uses, first priority should be given to the provision of water of adequate quantity and quality to meet domestic needs.
 Courts in India, Argentina, Brazil and South Africa have, in some cases, reversed decisions to disconnect water supply to poor people who cannot afford to pay.
 So far, the debate on water as a human right has revolved around safe drinking water, but very little on sanitation. Furthermore, basic water needs for direct economic activities, such as agricultural and industrial production, have not been a part of the water as a human right agenda (Courtesy- UNESCO doc. Right to water).

| by Dr.Roy Kunjappy | 04.03 2007 09:06 | url: |

Right to water with reference to the UN Committee on ESCR- General Comment No. 15.

General Comment No. 15 of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR) states that: ‘the human right to water entitles everyone to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic uses’. It notes that the right to water has been recognised in a wide range of international documents and reaffirms the fundamental importance of the right stating that: ‘the human right to water is indispensable for leading a life in human dignity. It is a prerequisite for the realization of other human rights’.

Part II of General Comment 15 outlines the normative content of the human right to water - ie the individual elements of the right - stressing that these elements must be adequate for human dignity, life and health in accordance with Article 11, paragraph 1, and Article 12.

The right to water comprises the following aspects:

(a) ‘Freedoms’- such as the right to be free from interference through, for example, arbitrary disconnections or the contamination of water supplies, and
(b) ‘Entitlements’ - including the right to a system of water supply and management that provides equality of opportunity for people to enjoy the right to water
The Comment also stresses that water should be treated as a social and cultural good, and not primarily as an economic good, and that the manner of the realization of the right to water must be sustainable.
General Comment 15 acknowledges that while the adequacy of water may vary according to different conditions, three factors apply in all circumstances:
(1) Availability: Each person has the right to a water supply that is sufficient and continuous for personal and domestic uses, such as drinking, ppersonal sanitation, washing of clothes, food preparation, personal and household hygiene. The Comment states that the quantity of water available for each person should correspond to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, and that it should be taken into account that some individuals and groups may also require additional water due to health, climate, and work conditions.
(2) Quality: The right to water means that not only are people entitled to a sufficient and continuous supply of water, but they are also entitled to water of adequate quality. This means that the water required for each personal or domestic use must be safe and therefore free from micro-organisms, chemical substances and radiological hazards that constitute a threat to a person’s health. Furthermore, water should be of an acceptable colour, odour and taste for each personal or domestic use.
(3) Accessibility: The Comment provides that water and water facilities and services must be accessible to everyone, without discrimination, within the jurisdiction of the State party. It identifies four overlapping dimensions of accessibility, defined as follows:

i) Physical accessibility
Water and adequate water facilities and services must be within safe physical reach of all sections of the population, which is defined as ‘within the immediate vicinity, of each household, educational institution and workplace’. They should be of sufficient quality, culturally appropriate and sensitive to gender, life-cycle and privacy requirements.

(ii) Economic accessibility
Water, water facilities and services and the direct and indirect costs and charges associated with securing water must be affordable for all.

(iii) Non-discrimination
Access to water and water facilities and services should be realised, in law and in fact, without discrimination on any of the prohibited grounds – race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

(iv) Information accessibility
Accessibility is defined as including the right to seek, receive and impart information concerning water issues.

General Comment 15 stresses the obligation of States Parties, under Articles 2 and 3 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to guarantee that all Covenant rights are enjoyed both without discrimination and on the basis of equality between men and women.

The General Comment confirms that the prohibition of discrimination includes discrimination on the grounds of age, physical or mental disability, health status (including HIV/AIDS), sexual orientation and civil, political, social or other status which has the intention or effect of nullifying or impairing the equal enjoyment or exercise of any of the rights contained therein, including the right to water (Courtesy: http://www.righttowater.org.uk)

| by Dr.Roy KUnjappy | 04.03 2007 09:02 | url: |

Strategy towards water security for the poor

Meeting the most basic needs of the poor people makes a good opportunity for taking them out of poverty. Often this is also essential for sustainable water management, as poverty itself can be the root cause of many water problems. Poor people are vulnerable to water-related problems in many ways. These affect their health, productivity, and physical safety. The strategy towards water security for the poor is based on a process that improves the conditions of the poor in three aspects of life: to reduce the vulnerabilities that they face, to improve access to high quality water services, and to move toward more sustainable management of water resources (ADB, 2004).
The steps toward water security for the poor can be grouped into six key areas:
 Pro-poor water governance
 Improved access to quality water services
 Improvement to livelihoods and pro-poor economic growth
 Community capacity building and empowerment
 Disaster prevention and mitigation
 Ecosystem management

Water governance has a key role towards the water security for the poor. The wider economy and society, including the structure of society and the nature of participation and strength of civil society, the strength of institutions at the different levels, the form and effectiveness of government institutions and political participation, the structure and dynamism of economy, the availability of different skills, services, and infrastructure, as well as education and media services. Good governance also depends upon the knowledge and understanding of the different stakeholders involved in decisions.

Improved access to quality water services determined by number of factors. This includes the rights and entitlements of poor communities to use particular resources. That will reflects laws and policies as well as traditional rights, social customs, and barriers. Further, infrastructure and technology; ability to pay; knowledge skills, and stakeholder institutions play a major role in the process.

The strategy on improvements to livelihoods and pro-poor economic growth emphasis that eradicating poverty is ultimately creating an environment that will allow the poor to utilize their potential to develop better and more secure livelihoods, which in turn is contingent upon the wider process of economic development and on focused measures to support and develop the livelihoods of the poor. Sustainable water management plays a key role in many aspects of the livelihood process, and in particular is essential to many livelihood activities. Water management is also key foe ensuring the sustainability of many types of new economic ventures that provide investment or employment opportunities for the poor people.

In Empowerment and capacity development, full participation is found where poor communities have a real voice in all aspects of the planning and management process. Actions need to ensure that all sections of society are fairly and equally represented, specifically targeting those previously excluded. These are typically women, the young, and the old as well as social and ethnic minorities. Participation is essential about the redistribution of power toward the powerless, giving it a political dimension that cannot and should not be avoided ( ADB, Poverty and Water Security, 2004).

It is increasingly recognized that disaster prevention and mitigation, needs to be established as a mainstream component of water management systems. Understanding and working effectively to reduce the vulnerabilities of the poor through interventions to improve water management, secure livelihoods, establish more effective governance conditions, build direct stakeholder capacities etc. is a key component for a pro-poor approach to water security.

Sustainable management of Ecosystems and water management is an important area, which needs to consider the variability of water flows through ecosystems and the minimum flows needed to maintain the integrity of these ecosystems to avoid disrupting service flows and to maintain the sustainability of the ecosystems and the availability of water.

| by Dr.Roy Kunjappy | 04.03 2007 09:00 | url: |

Water and poverty

Water scarcity is one of the most severe factors alleviating poverty. In rural areas, water is used for a variety of purposes like irrigating fields, raising livestock, small scale industry, drinking, bathing, cleaning etc. The world population has doubled since 1960, but water use has increased six folds. In many regions of the world, water is a scarce commodity and its use has to be carefully planned. One of the main challenges in the years to come is to grow enough food for an increasing population.

The world’s limited water resources are under increased pressure from population growth, changes in life style and economic development. These changes have high environmental costs such as, some rivers no longer reach the sea; half of the world’ s wet-lands have disappeared; and groundwater aquifers are over-exploited. The poorest countries and poorest people are the most vulnerable.

It was shown that substantial water savings and significant increases in crop productivity, and consequently farmers incomes, can be gained from implementing low-cost technologies such as drip/sprinkle irrigation, treadle pumps, and simple water harvesting systems. Apart from improving access to technologies and fostering management skills, the focus should be on creating and adopting comprehensive national and regional water management policies that ensure efficient, sustainable, and equitable water allocation. Particular emphasis needs to be placed on providing secure and unassailable water rights for the poorest, in order to secure their basic needs

| by Dr.Roy Kunjappy | 04.03 2007 08:56 | url: |

Emerging global water crisis due to unsustainable water withdrawals

More than 98 percent of world’s water is salty. Less than 1 percent of the earth’s freshwater is accessible in lakes, rivers, and groundwater aquifers. That 1 percent of available freshwater is constantly in motion, either flowing in rivers, evaporating and moving around the globe as water vapor, falling from the sky as rain or snow, or filtering slowly through the earth to emerge somewhere else. Water is a renewable resource and it is the genesis and continuing source of all life on earth. Although the total volume of water conveyed annually by the world’s rivers is about 43,000 km3 ( ADB, Water in the 21st Century, 2000) The demand for freshwater increased six fold between 1900 and 1995, twice the rate of population growth. The 1997 UN Comprehensive Assessment of Freshwater Resources of the World concluded that one third of the world’s population today already live in countries experiencing medium to high water stress. High water stress and unsustainable rates of withdrawal are already being experienced in Central and South Asia, where annual water withdrawals compared with available water resources are 50 percent or more.

It was assumed that the global population would expand from today’s 6 billion people to almost 8 billion in 2025. By then, more than 80 percent of the world’s population will be living in developing countries. The World Meteorological Organisation estimates, assuming the renewable water resources will remain unchanged, that the number of countries facing water stress will increase from 29 today to 34 in 2025. About 70 percent of global freshwater withdrawals are directed towards agriculture, mainly for irrigation. UN (1997) estimates that annual water use for irrigation will have to increase about 30 percent above present use for annual crop production to double and meet global food requirements by 2025. In developing countries, irrigation will remain the dominant water use and an increase of 30 percent in irrigation withdrawals may not be possible if other essential human needs are to be met. Whereas in industry sector, which accounts for about 22 percent of current freshwater withdrawals globally, is likely to require an increasing share in all regions of the world. In developing countries, where 56 percent of the population will be living in urban areas by 2025, the share of water going toward domestic uses will also need to grow substantially.

Asia has the lowest per capita availability of freshwater resources among the world’s continents. The two most populous nations in the world, the China and India, will have 1.5 billion and 1.4 billion people, respectively, by 2025, by which time the availability of freshwater will have dropped to 1,500 m3 per capita in India and 1,800 m3 in China. In Bangladesh, groundwater abstraction already represents 35 percent of the total annual water withdrawal; in India, 32 percent; in Pakistan, 30 percent; and in China, 11 percent. Overexploitation of groundwater and aquifer depletion is becoming serious problems in the intensively farmed areas of Northern China, India, Pakistan and many regions in the world. In heavily populated cities such as Bangkok, Jakarta, and Manila, land is subsiding as groundwater is withdrawn to serve the needs of their growing urban populations, and saltwater intrusion is rendering much of the groundwater unusable. (Courtesy: ADB, Water in the 21st Century, 2000)

| by Dr.Roy Kunjappy | 04.03 2007 08:11 | url: |