Limited Water Affects People Around the World

Water Scarcity: A Global Concern

People around the world are worried that water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning is becoming increasingly difficult to find. Many believe that changes in their climate are affecting their ability to access water.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The issue of water scarcity is closely linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. SDG 6 specifically addresses the need for clean water and sanitation for all. However, according to the United Nations, 2.2 billion people worldwide still do not have access to safely managed drinking water.

Lima, Peru

In Lima, Peru, Justina Flores, a 50-year-old grandmother, lives without running water. She relies on water provided by the government, which she uses for washing clothes and bathing her dog. The government supplies water to 1.5 million of the country’s poorest people through big water trucks that navigate difficult terrain. Flores tries to limit her water use by washing clothes by hand, saving approximately 45 liters per week. In wealthier areas with running water, families use an average of almost 12,000 liters per week.

Jakarta, Indonesia

In Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, clean water is difficult to obtain. Devi Putri Eka Sari, a 37-year-old mother of three, has been purchasing water from local sellers in her low-income neighborhood since she was a child. Although the government has installed water pipes and pumps, the water supply is inconsistent and often contaminated with dangerous bacteria such as E. coli. This situation forces many Indonesians to buy water, leading to significant waste.

Ras El Ma, Morocco

In Morocco, the Moulouya River, which used to provide water for farming, no longer flows as it did in the past. Dams and pumping upstream have reduced the water flow, allowing seawater to intrude and make the water salty. Farmers like Mimoun Nadori now have to bring in water for their livestock, as the tainted river water caused their cows to die. The lack of water is attributed to both human factors and drought.

Corning, California, United States

In Corning, California, the Imfeld family’s well went dry two years ago due to excessive water usage and insufficient rainfall. The family now relies on water deliveries from the state, receiving a tank of almost 10,000 liters every two weeks for washing and cleaning. They also receive a separate shipment of 113 liters for drinking and cooking. The cost of drilling a new well is prohibitive at $25,000, adding to the emotional strain experienced by the family.

Makueni County, Kenya

In Makueni County, Kenya, access to water is limited, with few water pipes available in the southeastern village. Joyce Mule used to walk two hours each day to find water until the community adopted a rock catchment method. This method collects rainwater from rocks and directs it through a cleaning process into a large storage tank closer to the village. The improved access to water has had positive effects on agriculture and overall quality of life.

Bawal, India

In Bawal, India, Ramkrishan Malawat remembers a time when water was easily accessible from a nearby river. However, due to construction and population growth, the river has dried up, forcing villagers to dig deeper wells. The groundwater in these wells is often contaminated with chemicals, including fluoride. India faces significant challenges in managing water resources as it drills and pumps more groundwater than the United States and China combined.

Conclusion

Water scarcity is a pressing issue affecting communities worldwide. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasize the need for clean water and sanitation for all, but there is still a long way to go in achieving this goal. The examples from Lima, Jakarta, Ras El Ma, Corning, Makueni County, and Bawal highlight the diverse challenges faced by different regions. It is crucial to address these challenges and work towards sustainable water management to ensure a better future for all.

Words in This Story

• install – to put a piece of equipment or a part in place
• option – a choice that can be made
• upstream – the area nearer to the source of a river or stream
• tainted – containing something that should not be there
• drought – an extended period of lower-than-normal rainfall for the climate of a place
• drain – to have something flow away or disappear from where it normally is
• seep – to slowly flow down into the ground

We want to hear from you. What are your water concerns?

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

• Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
• Indicator 6.1.1: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services
• Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater, and increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
• Indicator 6.3.2: Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality
• Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity
• Indicator 6.4.1: Change in water-use efficiency over time
• Indicator 6.4.2: Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources

• Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
• Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population
• Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning
• Indicator 13.3.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning into primary, secondary, and tertiary curricula

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The SDGs that are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article are SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 13: Climate Action.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets under SDG 6 that can be identified are:

• Target 6.1: Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
• Target 6.3: Improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater, and increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
• Target 6.4: Increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity

The specific target under SDG 13 that can be identified is:

• Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, there are indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

• Indicator 6.1.1: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services
• Indicator 6.3.2: Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality
• Indicator 6.4.1: Change in water-use efficiency over time
• Indicator 6.4.2: Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources
• Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population
• Indicator 13.3.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning into primary, secondary, and tertiary curricula

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators