Quality of drinking water, and the water for household uses, is constantly and frequently showing up as daily public concern around the world and it is indeed a serious problem of increasing dimensions.

It is a historical daily pain in Africa where people spend long time searching, collecting and also transporting water long ways. It is not only a headache and troublesome issue for millions of people in Africa but a constant source of threat as water is an effective media for conveying and spreading diseases. What is much more serious is the degradation in the quality of the natural water resources. If the “raw” water in natural systems, e.g. rivers, lakes and marine coasts, and to some extent groundwater, is contaminated then how would it be possible to get access to, at least, affordable drinking water? How would it be possible to manage other household uses?

What happens, and still happening, in Africa started to be a global concern of growing importance. Water quality is a problem that is gradually and slowly emerging in many places around the world. There are increasing number of reports on the degradation of both tap water and bottled water around the globe even in the best countries in Europe (but in very much limited extent), not to mention Asia and in particular China. Some examples are given here while others were previously addressed for discussions in different Blog posts in “sustain-earth.com” and LinkedIn groups, e.g. “Africa and MENA Sciences and Technologies” as well as Facebook and Twitter.

http://africacheck.org/reports/false-claim-that-sa-one-of-only-twelve-countries-with-safe-tap-water/

http://m.thelocal.com/20130913/tap-water-less-risky-than-bottled-water-swiss-study

The impacts of increasing deterioration in natural water systems and water for household uses are, also, showing up in the public health records because of the growing threats from resistant bacteria. Anti-biotic and other pharmacological remains keep injected out in nature from wastewater treatment plants, also other known and unknown sources can be expected.

http://www.riles.org/musings.htm

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/10/invincible-bacteria-in-the-middle-east/381671/

The Alliance for Global Water Adaptation founded in 2010 and involving regional and global development banks, government agencies and ministries, diverse non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector is focusing on managing water resources in a sustainable way.  Though climate change is a major driver altering the global hydrological cycle still pollution and water are other man-made drivers influencing the global quality of natural waters. Water provides coherence to climate change adaptation and mitigation, integrating energy, water, food production and agriculture, and ecosystems and the environment. At the same time, the interaction with environmental changes in terms of increasing pollution and waste has strong threats on all life forms on earth with huge impacts on the quality of food and the health of ecosystems in general. Though AGWA is focused on how to help experts, decision makers, and institutions in the water community work more effectively, however there are still needs to consider sustainability in much wider perspective especially what regards the threats and impacts of pollution and waste, arising from production and consumption, on the hydrosphere, ecosphere and biodiversity.

http://alliance4water.org/

Many countries around the world suffer from increasing degradation in the quality of their natural land-water and aquatic water resources, e.g. lakes, rivers, coastal maritime and in some cases groundwater, because of growing net accumulation of pollution and waste in the environment. As explained in separate post (http://sustain-earth.com/2014/10/life-on-planet-earth-until-2100-double-e-global-collapse-in-economy-and-ecology/) the net global waste is expected to peak sometime at the end of this century.

In parallel to this there is a gradual and increasing degradation in the global quality of natural land-water and aquatic water resources with serious negative feedback impacts on the quality of all life forms on the Earth. So sometime at the turn of this century or early twenty-second century we may expect peak ecological water quality (http://pacinst.org/issues/sustainable-water-management-local-to-global/peak-water/) to materialize. This of course assuming that trends in waste production/recycling will follow the scenarios of the “Nature” paper given in the mentioned post. Also, this is assuming that the collapse of life on earth will not occur already before peak ecological water quality and the delay-effects will give some space to perform remediation and correction measures. There are observations and data in literature illustrating that the degradation in ecological water quality and the associated collapse (frequency and intensity) in ecological systems have already taken place in a growing number of geographical regions. Peak “ecological” water is defined as the point beyond which the total costs of ecological disruptions and damages exceed the total value provided by human use of that water. Unfortunately, the quality of tap water is very much related to the quality of “raw” water, i.e. the natural water of aquatic systems. We have already seen that achieving suitable tap water quality, even acceptable quality bottled water, are not any longer an easily affordable task.

Water Quality – Top 10 Countries With Best Tap Water.

The United Nations seems to recognize things so late that solutions become complicated, very difficult to manage and in panic things get turned up side down. What are supposed to be “scientific instruments”, available for decades, to implement became suddenly and urgently “political goals”. Yet not all science is realized as important in politics, policy-makers select and it is generally based on short-term election-driven, economy and competition-based market policies.

After more than a century of advances, progress and innovation in science and technology, the UN is suddenly asking the engagement of science. I would agree that science could have contributed much better. But this is, again, related to socio-economic political priorities. It looks like science can fix things over-night, fix everything alone and for all other sectors and for everyone in the society? We shouldn’t mix science with politics though they are inter-dependent. Were we all blind during such a long-time or were we just ignoring the failing reality and hoping “business-as-usual” will make things better. Sustainability requires early engagement of ALL SECTORS in a coherent, collective collaborative and interactive manner. What happened was an increasing fragmentation and isolation in “within” and “between” sector activities where individuals were lost in failing reality and an increasing complexity without unified holistic vision “Life on Earth”.

It is not any longer SUSTAINABLE to let it burn first then come to extinguish the fire, life on earth does not function this way. This has been more or less how WE were acting or reacting on world problems.

http://www.scidev.net/index.cfm?originalUrl=global/mdgs/feature/jeffrey-sachs-sdgs-big-science.html

There are many scenarios and prognoses as well as data and observations supported by an increasing number of peer reviewed publications (in top journals such as Nature) that illustrate that planet Earth is heading to severe and double global collapse, i.e. in terms of economy and most importantly of ecology. Shrinking economy means increased poverty and degradation in ecology means increasing diseases. It is not hard to comprehend: wealthy and healthy environment means high quality of life; unwealthy planet with unhealthy environment means death or in best cases poor quality of life. It is already a growing and severe inconvenient reality in many parts around the world, just tens or hundred meters away from luxury hotels and beaches, there are densely populated slums in mega cities.

Affordable, accessible, safe and clean energy that can support the growing population and the increasing needs of consumption is an ideal painting of a rather gray reality facing a common fate for our planet. With expected future production and consumption of “net” energy and the considerable pressures on the natural “capital” resources, the global production of waste and pollution due to an accelerating urbanization keeps doubling. According to the UN Inter-Agency Mechanism on all freshwater related issues (including sanitation) it has been an increase of 20%, during the period 2000 to 2008, in the number of individuals in cities and towns of all sizes in the world who lack access to basic water and sanitation facilities.  In 2011, a reported of 2.5 billion people in the world did not use improved sanitation facilities and this number keeps increasing. Urban settlements are also a growing main source of point-source pollution even in best countries around the world including Scandinavia where anti-biotic keep injected from wastewater treatment plants to natural surface water systems with serious impacts on the flora and frequency of resistant bacteria. It is not strange that humans will face an increasing number of threats from known, such as Ebola virus disease, and yet other unknown diseases to emerge.

http://www.peakprosperity.com/blog/88380/energy-economics-crash-course-chapter-19

http://www.nature.com/news/environment-waste-production-must-peak-this-century-1.14032

http://www.unwater.org/topics/water-and-urbanization/en/

Would life on planet Earth survive to the end of this century? Follow sustain-earth.com to hear more about sustainability issues.

To counteract the increasing threats from the abuse of energy, water and natural resources and mitigate the accelerating negative impacts of “produce and consume” on quality of life, all education stages have to seriously consider weaving sustainability issues in all educational components. This has to involve applied sustainability instruments and solutions as well as building appropriate interactive links between education, politics, society and the market. There are huge information and data worldwide on continuous and increasing degradation in the atmosphere (air quality), the hydrosphere (water quality), land-water resources, the biosphere and ecosphere (biodiversity, degradation in agro- and animal production, …. ).

“Sustainability” is not only of political and social concern, it is also a natural part of modern high-quality education especially what regards higher education and research where future innovations, engineers, professionals, teachers, policy-makers, scientists, ….. etc, are being shaped and prepared to take care of the planet in much more sustainable manner. The collapsing quality of life reflects severe gaps in education and technology management structures with enhanced fragmentation and isolation within and between society sectors in terms of production, consumption and service. The main responsibility for achieving sustainable socio-economic developments anywhere in the world is through shaping education and research institutions and organizations to meet future sustainability requirements.

http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2011/oct/13/sustainability-in-higher-education

Two most important spheres for existence of life, and the only life in the whole universe, on earth are suffering from severe and increasing degradation. The ATMOSPHERE with remarkable changes in its global composition that has caused global warming and an accelerating deterioration in the air quality in cities around due to urbanization (70% of world population is planned to live in cities in coming decades. The HYDROSPHERE with an ever increasing degradation in the quality of natural waters with accelerating threats on the whole ecosphere and enhanced negative impacts on drinking water and food production. Though ENERGY is the primary cause of all pollution in these two spheres still much attention and resources are given to it with very little left to protect, cure and rehabilitate WATER, and to enhance its accessibility and affordability in clean forms. Follow how energy-water nexus is shaping the life on the earth http://sustain-earth.com

https://www.dropbox.com/s/atcq7lm7iv4rrlt/Water%20vs%20Energy.jpg?dl=0

Levels of optimism and happiness has declined. Public health determines the level of happiness and the satisfaction is mostly found in family life and accommodation, while the least satisfaction is being with the standard of living. The trust in key institutions (governments and parliaments) has fallen across the EU. Large differences in member states are being found what regards satisfaction. The social exclusion is dependent on unemployment, while activities in associations and voluntary work makes people feel more socially included. The gap between racial and ethnic groups is growing across the EU as the tensions between rich and poor. Difficulties from coming homes too tired to do household jobs has increased where single parent-household are disadvantaged in most domains of life quality.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bOT5MA3Xeo&feature=player_embedded

Many food and beverages we buy from the market don’t give any information on toxic levels which make food stores to offer safer products the so-called “eco-products” with almost double the price of normal products, eco-milk, eco-cheese, eco-vegetables, eco-fruits, ……. and the list keeps growing. It wouldn’t surprise me to see “eco-water” given on bottled water as well “coming soon”. Many reports from several countries around the world give data demonstrating  degradation in water quality of bottled water. The reasons are very simple and are expected, the quality of “natural” surface and ground water are suffering from severe pollution problems and the threats are expanding. Even in regions where natural waters are expected to be of high quality, e.g. Europe, we can still find reports about increasing degradation as new compounds and toxics keep injected to the hydrosphere.

http://sustain-earth.com will report on the increasing health threats that are associated with bottled water.

https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/7152-China-s-bottled-water-the-next-health-crisis-

In many countries around the world out-doors living, especially in rural areas, with simple constructions can offer economic possibilities where housing can be integrated with nature. Solutions to benefit from solar-energy can provide access to the outer-world communication and distant services through modern ICT-technology. Needs for all household services and needs, i.e. energy, water and sanitation can be managed through solar-energy applications.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/whvw0wtj6oyaaso/2013-09-25%2020.32.34.jpg?dl=0

Poverty is not only the lack of food and will never end by traditional aid policies where only free-food is given to the poor. These policies have indeed not only fueled poverty but generated more and more poverty, as they turn the poor not only to passive consumers with no empowerment for own production but even counteracted their possibilities to join the era of sustainability.  We have already seen that affordability and accessibility to food is very much related to sustainable management of natural resources, in particular water and energy. Sustainable management of natural resources involves, also, holistic approaches for the protection and preservation of all natural resources through the engagement of every citizen in the society. In this context, achieving sustainable socio-economic developments around the world requires establishing appropriate instruments for true poverty alleviation, i.e. all types of poverty, where the inactive and passive poor populations around the world become actively engaged not only in food production but in all the components of achieving sustainable socio-economic developments.

The world needs much more organizations and institutions that can be both actively engaged in poverty alleviation and in engaging the poor in becoming active players for achieving sustainable socio-economic developments rather than being passive observers and consumers. In this context, “SNV Netherlands Development Organization” demonstrates many successful stories around the world. However, much more is still needed as the world competition on the natural resources, in particular water and energy, is becoming much severe.

http://www.snvworld.org/

Toxic waste and pollution have sources, pathways and final fate in our environments. They may end in your blood, lungs, lever, kedney, bones, ….. and anywhere else in your body. How and why, and what are the impacts are frequently asked questions. To get answers is not as simple as it seems, it is a matter of imagination and hardwork to sort out misleading information from the reality of what is really happening in our waters.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n2ya650p466mq8u/finalversion%2C%20open%20house%20Tracers%20as%20detectives.ppt?dl=0

The planet as is managed today is facing a failing reality because of increasing and fragmented competition on natural resources with little attention to proper protection and conservation of these resources, in particular water and energy. Management of education, research and technology should consider the urgent necessity for sustainable and appropriate coupling to society, population and market needs. The increasing global population, the random use and consumption of natural resources has caused severe threats to, and degradation of, all life forms on the planet.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7euopk4zjqpom3w/Why%20Sustain-earth%3F.docx?dl=0

Management and pricing of water resources are important issues for improving access to water and sanitation, and also for achieving sustainable socio-economic developments around the world. Financing the sustainable management of water resources is a major and accelerating challenge because of the increasing competition on water resources, still growing populations and expanding needs. Water resources and their uses shift greatly around the world and in water resource management there are increasing attention to how pricing of water could be best coupled to financial strategies as well.

Achieving sustainable managements policies is very much related to appropriate optimization of water uses to achieve the “best value for the water resources” on all levels with attention to enhancing accessibility and affordability to water and sanitation. The cost of managing water resources to reach social, economic and environmental goals is increasing due to population and economic growth as well as to climate change. This is generally true in the developing countries especially in Africa.

Formed in 2003, the European Union Water Initiative Finance Working Group (EUWI-FWG) is focused on helping to shape the financial strategy of the EUWI. The FWG group encourages innovation, the development of institutional and regulatory frameworks and capacity building. It also encourages the use of development funding as a catalyst to leverage other forms of finance, including national budgets, donors, user and private finance, to improve access by the poor to water and sanitation services.

Click to access Water_Pricing_FINAL.pdf

Management of drinking water is becoming a global issue and it is not any longer a problem in the developing countries but it is, also, appearing in developed countries as well. National Geographic along with other news media, e.g. “The Guardian” are describing the accelerating demands on water resources, in particular the decreasing accessibility and affordability to drinking water. In this case it is Detroit, USA, which indeed is situated in a region rich in fresh-water resources: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/special-features/2014/08/140822-detroit-michigan-water-shutoffs-great-lakes/; http://www.theguardian.com/environment/true-north/2014/jun/25/detroits-water-war-a-tap-shut-off-that-could-impact-300000-people

According to “The Associated Press ABC 7 News” Detroit water shutoff controversy ignited nationwide debate in the USA http://www.wjla.com/articles/2014/07/detroit-water-shutoff-controversy-igniting-nationwide-debate-105641.html

A pressing and urgent question now is: how would drinking water be treated in the future and how far would we go on with privatization of drinking water. Also, how would the pricing of drinking water look like in the future and how public drinking water facilities be financed?  These are typical management issues where policy-makers should be prepared to deal with.

http://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/detroit-water-crisis-a-prelude-to-the-privatization-of-water/