Over 4.4 Billion People Worldwide Lack Access to Safe Drinking Water: Study

Over 4.4 billion people lack access to safe drinking water: study

Well over half the world’s population—4.4 billion people—cannot access safely managed drinking water, a new study has shown. That is more than double the estimates made by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2022. But the report only examined access to clean water in low and middle-income countries, meaning the figure would likely be greater once poor access in higher income countries is accounted for.

The risks of drinking contaminated water

Unsafe drinking water has a risk of causing a variety of severe water-borne diseases like cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and less severe diseases like norovirus. To be considered “safely managed”, water must be available on demand, on premises, and contaminant-free, and designed to deliver safe water.

The majority of those without access to such services are limited by likely faecal contamination, according to the research published in the journal Science. Greenwood’s study was conducted to plug existing data gaps. Satellite observations and household survey information were analysed using artificial intelligence to define areas of safe and unsafe water access.

South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa most affected

The analysis considered human and environmental impacts that limited safe water access across the UN’s 22 geographic subregions. It predicted 1.2 billion people living across India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Iran, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka—more than half of the region’s population—were not using safe managed drinking water.

But South Asia fares better than others on a per capita basis. More than 80 per cent of people living in Sub-Saharan Africa—a region covering more than 1.1 billion people—cannot access safe managed water. So too, regions across Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand) and Southeast Asia, where around 75 per cent are affected. About half of these populations may be exposed to contaminated drinking water, according to the study.

E.coli used as a contaminant indicator, but it is not the only concern

The analysis used E.Coli bacteria as a proxy indicator for contamination. E.coli is associated with diarrhoea-related diseases, that often result from exposure to contaminated food and water. While healthy adults usually experience mild symptoms and recover quickly, children and older people are at risk of developing kidney failure and death.

Water contaminated with E.Coli caused a norovirus outbreak in Italy this summer and caused several athletes to get sick after swimming in the River Seine during this year’s Olympic Games in Paris.

“We’re not directly interested in E.coli as we’re not suspecting that all E.coli is pathogenic. It’s rather an indicator that there could have been recent fecal contamination and that worries us because in feces there’s a high risk of having other pathogens spread,” said Greenwood.

Contaminants from groundwater and industry

E.coli is not the only potential cause of water contamination. While not included in this study, arsenic and fluoride levels are also used to monitor chemical contamination in water. Both are naturally occurring substances, and excessive consumption can be toxic.

A 2023 study estimated around 100 countries were affected by fluoride contamination (exceeding 1.5 mg/L) in their groundwater.

The same researchers found that 230 million people—mostly in Asia—were at risk of arsenic-contaminated groundwater contamination. While contaminants can be naturally occurring—more than 80 per cent of both fluoride and arsenic groundwater contamination is attributed to geological processes—industrial use of chemicals and coal burning can also contribute to water contamination.

“It seems that more households are affected by E.coli contamination than by chemical contamination. But I think that chemical contamination has different implications for people’s health. It’s something which would also need to be further investigated,” Greenwood said.

One in two people suspect their water is harmful

People’s access to safe drinking water is dependent on their local geographic, sociocultural, and economic situation as much as it is which country they live in. People in poorer rural areas often have the greatest difficulties in accessing clean water. Almost 500 million people worldwide collect water from unprotected wells, rivers, ponds, and lakes, the WHO estimated in 2022.

Data also shows people living in towns and cities with low incomes, or informal or illegal settlements, also have less access to improved sources of drinking water compared to other residents. Global trust in water safety is low, with another study showing one in two people believe their drinking water sources could cause serious harm if consumed.

“It’s not enough to have water flowing through the taps. People need to trust their water,” said study lead Sera Young, an anthropologist from Midwestern University, Illinois, US.

Improving water infrastructure is only part of the picture to improve water sanitation. Young said that frequent and open-access water testing is needed to help people trust their water supply. That means “making the water quality tests public and making those test results easy to understand and even putting tests into people’s hands so they themselves can test for contaminants of concern”, she said.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

The article addresses the issue of access to safe drinking water, which is a key component of SDG 6. It highlights the lack of access to safely managed drinking water for over half the world’s population.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The article also discusses the risks of drinking contaminated water and the water-borne diseases that can result from unsafe drinking water. This connects to SDG 3, which aims to combat water-borne diseases and improve overall health and well-being.

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

Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all

The article highlights the lack of access to safely managed drinking water for 4.4 billion people worldwide, indicating that Target 6.1 is not being met.

Target 6.2: By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation

While the article focuses primarily on access to safe drinking water, it mentions that access to safely managed sanitation and hygiene facilities is also important. This aligns with Target 6.2.

Target 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of water-borne diseases

The article discusses the risks of water-borne diseases resulting from unsafe drinking water, indicating the need to address Target 3.3.

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

The article mentions the following indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

– Access to safely managed drinking water: The article highlights the lack of access to safely managed drinking water for over half the world’s population, indicating the need to measure progress in providing safe drinking water to all.
– Access to safely managed sanitation and hygiene facilities: While not explicitly mentioned in the article, it is implied that access to such facilities is important for ensuring safe water and sanitation.
– Reduction in water-borne diseases caused by unsafe drinking water: The article discusses the risks of water-borne diseases resulting from unsafe drinking water, suggesting the need to measure progress in reducing these diseases.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: frontline.thehindu.com