Cement Manufacturers Association

40 more common in some places, floods in others. Glaciers and Snow packs will disappear in some areas, affecting the freshwater supplies to those downstream communities. These changes will combine to make less water available for Agriculture, Energy Generation, Cities, and Ecosystems around the world. In the last 50 years, the Human population has more than doubled. This rapid growth with its accompanying Economic development and Industrialization has transformed water Ecosystems around the world and resulted in a massive loss of biodiversity. Today, 41% of the world’s population lives in river basins that are under water stress. Concern about water availability grows as freshwater use continues at unsustainable levels. Furthermore, these new faces also need food, shelter, and clothing, thus resulting in additional pressure on freshwater through the production of commodities and energy. Around 700 million people in 43 countries suffer today from water scarcity. By 2025, 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world’s population could be living under water stressed conditions. Water pollution comes from many sources including pesticides and fertilizers that wash away from farms, untreated human wastewater, and industrial waste. Even groundwater is not safe from pollution, as many pollutants can leach into underground aquifers. Some effects are immediate, such as when harmful bacteria from human waste contaminate water and make it unfit to drink or swim in. In other instances, such as toxic substances from industrial processes it may take years to build up in the environment and food chain before their effects are fully recognized. Around two-thirds of the world’s transboundary rivers do not have a cooperative management framework. One of the most important recent milestones has been the recognition in July 2010 by the United Nations General Assembly of the Human Rights to Water and Sanitation. The Assembly recognized the right of every human being to have access to enough water for personal and domestic uses, meaning between 50 and 100 litres of water per person per day. The water must be safe, acceptable and affordable. The water costs should not exceed 3% of household income. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 is to “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”. The targets cover all aspects of both the water cycle and sanitation systems and their achievement is designed to contribute to progress across a range of other SDGs, most notably on health, education, economics and the environment. The United Nations has long been addressing the Global crisis caused by insufficient water supply to satisfy basic human needs and growing demands on the world’s water resources to meet human, commercial and agricultural needs. Contaminated water and a lack of basic sanitation are undermining efforts to end extreme poverty and disease in the world’s poorest countries. The 2030 Agenda recognizes the centrality of water resources to sustainable development and the vital role that improved drinking water, sanitation and hygiene play in progress in other areas, including health, education and poverty reduction. By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing the release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally. Water is at the core of Sustainable Development and is critical for socio-economic development, energy and food production, healthy ecosystems and human survival itself. Water is also at the heart of adaptation to climate change, serving as the crucial link between society and the environment. “World Water Day” is celebrated every year on 22nd March to highlight the importance of water and raise awareness about the Global Water Crisis. Sustainable Water Management is essential for human dignity and wellbeing, economic productivity, and environmental resilience. Current water resources are highly stressed, with two thirds of the world’s population projected to be living in water stressed areas in 2025, a problem climate change and population growth will only exacerbate. In addition, 2.1 billion people worldwide lack access to safe, readily available water at home, and 4.5 billion lack safely managed sanitation. Reduce Recycle Reuse