Climate change, lack of infrastructure make it harder to access drinking water

By Tugba Altun

ANKARA (AA) - As the world’s water resources continue to decrease, access to drinking water becomes more difficult due to climate change, lack of infrastructure, and economic insufficiency.

Developments regarding the drop in water resources across the world and in countries having issues of access to safe drinking water were compiled by Anadolu.

According to an August 2022 report by the US-based think tank Council on Foreign Relations on water stress, around 70% of freshwater is used for agriculture, while the rest is divided between industrial (19%) and domestic uses (11%), including potable water.

Efficient management of water sources and improved water supply increase the economic growth of countries and help reduce the poverty.

In 2010, through a resolution, the UN General Assembly explicitly recognized the right to water and sanitation and acknowledged that clean drinking water and sanitation are essential for all human rights.

However, the misuse of groundwater and its mismanagement for years and freshwater pollution have increased water stress.

Some countries also face challenges due to damage to water-related ecosystems, water scarcity stemming from climate change, and inadequate investment in water and sanitation.

Around 771 million people do not have access to water, according to data from the non-governmental organization Water.org, which aims to help people living in poverty get access to safe water across the world.

- Lack of access to safe water causes illnesses

Each year, around 829,000 people die from diarrhea due to unsafe water, as well as sanitation and hygiene problems, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Easy access to safe water, which reduces the physical effort of people for clean water, also reduces the budget allocated to the health system, the WHO also said.

According to the UN’s 2022 Sustainable Development Report, 74% of the world's population had access to safe drinking water in 2020.

Around 85% of the world's wetlands have been lost over the past 300 years, it noted.

The water stress level is above 75% in South and Central Asia. This rate goes up to 100% in North Africa, the report said.

According to an article published by UNICEF in February, 844 million people do not have access to clean drinking water and 2.3 billion people do not have access to toilets and basic sanitation facilities.

Dirty water and inadequate sanitation are the leading causes of death among children aged 5 and under, the article said.

- 17 countries experience high water stress

According to the research organization World Resources Institute, water stress experienced by countries is divided into five categories -- very high, high, medium-high, medium-low, and low.

A total of 17 countries experience very high water stress -- Qatar, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, the UAE, San Marino, Bahrain, India, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Oman, and Botswana -- with 12 of them located in the Middle East and North Africa regions.

Many experts indicate that the worst conditions for physical water stress are in the Middle East and North Africa region.

For instance, over 71% of Lebanon's population faces water scarcity, according to UNICEF.

The economic crisis in Lebanon, in addition to the drought and poorly managed water systems, raises the risk of famine.

In Pakistan, however, water has been an issue for 35 years. Rapidly increasing population, urbanization, excessive use of water on farms in rural areas, and climate change increase water stress in the country.

Wealthy countries in the Middle East can meet their water needs. The UAE imports the majority of the water needed for food and agriculture. They also have the ability to desalinate ocean water, which is an expensive method.

In Iraq, 98% of its surface water, which is in the high water stress category, comes from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. It is estimated that the parts of these rivers within the borders of Iraq will dry up by 2040.

Although India represents 18% of the world's population, it possesses only 4% of its freshwater resources. Moreover, the country is one of the countries with the highest water scarcity due to its population, pollution, and exploitation of groundwater.

Central African countries, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which faces scarcity, receive sufficient rain but the lack of appropriate infrastructure and mismanagement cause water shortages. Despite having half of Africa's water reserves, Congo has no access to clean water, which causes diseases and malnutrition.

- Old infrastructure may increase water stress in some countries

Countries using the same infrastructure for many years and that have a high population growth may experience water shortages.

The World Resources Institute said the US is a medium-low water stress country, while there are notable changes in border areas. Western parts of the US, including the state of California, are experiencing water stress due to drought caused by climate change.

In Italy, old infrastructure is predicted to cause water stress in accessing clean water.

Egypt also stands out as one of the countries suffering from water scarcity. Although Egypt has low water stress with its access to the Nile River, which meets 93% of its water needs, this situation is at risk due to Ethiopia's Great Renaissance Dam project.

In another part of the world, eight out of 10 Afghans use unsafe drinking water, according to UNICEF's estimation. Around 94% of Afghan children live in regions with high water scarcity.

While in war-torn Syria, the rate of access to clean water was 98% in cities and 92% in rural areas in 2010, they have dropped by 40%.

In Türkiye, factors such as the increase in hot weather, forest fires, and climate change seem to increase water stress.

Nepal has 2.7% of the world's freshwater resources, but it is one of the countries that has reached the highest level of water scarcity for the last 20 years. Despite the presence of water sources, the connection and infrastructure in the country are not sufficient.

As part of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, water is important for the health and peace of people.

In this context, the UN will hold the 2023 Water Conference in New York on March 22-24.