Investment gaps, weak governance slowing safe drinking water access for billions, says WHO official
About 2.1 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water, including 106 million who rely directly on rivers, lakes and other untreated water sources, according to the World Health Organization.
A waste picker drinks water while working during a heat wave at a garbage dump on the outskirts of Jammu, India, Wednesday, June 19, 2024. (File photo: AP/Channi Anand)
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SINGAPORE: Investment gaps, governance challenges and a lack of political will are slowing efforts to expand access to safe drinking water for billions of people worldwide, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said on Friday (Jun 19).
While access to safe drinking water is improving globally, progress remains slow, said Bruce Gordon, who heads the WHO’s water, sanitation, hygiene and health unit.
“We see the trends are going in the right direction, but just slowly,” he told CNA’s Asia Now.
“You can’t just treat all the problems away. You can’t just sort of think we’re going to solve this when it’s too little, too late.”
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His comments came after the WHO on Wednesday released updated guidelines on drinking water quality, aimed at helping countries protect public health through safer drinking water.
The guidelines seek to close existing safety gaps, provide a basis for stronger drinking water regulations and standards, and raise monitoring and risk management practices.
CLOSING THE WATER GAP
The revised guidance comes amid growing concerns about both traditional and emerging threats to drinking water safety.
“All over the world we’re facing new threats, new emerging contaminants and there’s public concern around them – things like microplastics, things like PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), or ‘forever chemicals’, and pharmaceuticals in drinking water,” said Gordon.
While technological advances have made it possible to detect contaminants at extremely low levels, regulators and operators need to know how to manage and prioritise risks, he added.
Access to safe drinking water is essential for health, a basic human right, and a key component of effective public health protection, stressed the United Nations health agency.
Despite progress in recent years, it remains a major global challenge.
An estimated 2.1 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water, including 106 million who rely directly on rivers, lakes and other untreated water sources.
When asked why the gap remains so large despite years of global commitments, Gordon highlighted the need for stronger coordination across sectors.
“We need all systems working together. We need to have regulators prioritising the right parameters – not being overwhelmed by 100 potential contaminants and thinking about the big things,” he said.
PROTECTING VULNERABLE WATER SUPPLIES
Emerging trends such as urbanisation and climate change are placing increasing pressure on water supplies worldwide, potentially raising the risk of waterborne diseases, the WHO said.
Gordon noted that countries must prepare for climate-related threats to water systems.
These include flooding caused by excessive rainfall, water shortages during droughts and worsening pollution from sources such as industry, agriculture and untreated wastewater.
The updated WHO guidelines place greater emphasis on ensuring small water supplies are explicitly considered in policies, the role of the government in supporting risk management by water suppliers, and providing updated information on microbial pathogens.
Microbial contamination remains one of the biggest health risks associated with drinking water globally.
While many countries have the knowledge and tools needed to address the threat, Gordon said implementation often falls short.
“When you see these outbreaks of disease, some of those very basic prevention and protection measures aren’t taking place,” he said.
Failures can occur for a range of reasons, including shortages of supplies, a lack of trained personnel or delays in detecting contamination events, he added.
Gordon said the focus on smaller water systems is especially important because they continue to be linked to disease outbreaks, including in developed countries.
“We need to really close the gap,” he said, adding that robust water and sanitation systems can help prevent a wide range of waterborne diseases.
“There’s tools and approaches that both regulators and the local community can (use) to make sure that people are not getting sick from small systems.”
Source: CNA/ca(lt)
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