In 2015, a set of global goals was adopted to eradicate poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years, until 2030. The first six are to end poverty (SDG 1), hunger (SDG 2), achieve health and well-being (SDG 3), access quality education (SDG 4), and improve gender equality (SDG 5). These are the first five Sustainable Development Goals that, along with water, are related to the essential and fundamental basic needs of human beings. They are a matter of social justice and, when analyzed in depth, are intrinsically linked and often present together in disadvantaged communities.
To achieve these goals, everyone must do their part: governments, the private sector, civil society, and people like you. We will not see significant change unless we, as citizens, adopt new habits that generate a shift in civil society, which in turn will pressure the private sector and governments.
It is worth noting that 193 countries signed on to this challenge, far more than those who joined the MDGs or the Kyoto Protocol. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals officially came into effect on January 1, 2016, and although they are not legally binding, governments are expected to take ownership and establish national frameworks for achieving them.
Water: A Fundamental Pillar for Development
From our perspective as water sector professionals, we see that fair and equitable access to water is not only a matter of survival but also a fundamental pillar for social development, human dignity, and basic rights. Today, this is neither questionable nor a matter of political ideology. In this sense, we cannot discuss these five Sustainable Development Goals without considering water as a critical and limiting factor for achieving the other five, while also serving as an accelerator if Goal 6—clean water and sanitation—is achieved.
Currently, access to water is a global problem, and in the not-too-distant future, with expected population growth and living standards, new pressures on demand will turn scarcity into a matter of extreme concern. This is not only about regions that lack supply infrastructure but also about the pressure on the current water network, which is collapsing as most systems are outdated and in need of renewal or expansion to meet existing needs.
Interestingly, the most disadvantaged urban areas pay the most for water, which often arrives in poor quality and is distributed under unsanitary conditions. It is inconceivable that someone in a vulnerable state, without access to running water, food, or electricity, ends up paying more than someone in a well-off area, whether in Madrid, Paris, or New York, yet this is a reality we share.
Water and Social Equity
Improving access to water and sanitation is a crucial step towards eradicating poverty, where inclusive policies prioritize the most vulnerable and disadvantaged populations. Without access to safe drinking water, communities are trapped in a cycle from which there is no return; they have no development opportunities and are more exposed to diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, and dysentery, which are the leading causes of child mortality and affect the overall health of the community, preventing people from working and attending school.
We know that safe drinking water is the best preventive medicine; however, approximately 2 billion people still lack access to it. Ensuring the supply of safe drinking water and sanitation is one of the most effective public health interventions.
Furthermore, water is essential for food security. It plays a significant role in agricultural production and serves as a fundamental means of livelihood for the poorest communities. It affects crop productivity, improves food security, and generates additional income.
In this sense, the future of food lies in water, through technological solutions for efficient water use in the current food industry, as well as through the development of new efficient cultivation systems with this resource. It is vital to develop new food production techniques where maximum utilization reflects an efficient recirculation system.
Water improves and highlights education. Because the lack of water in sanitary conditions, besides being a health problem, is a social issue. Access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation reduces diseases and school absenteeism, improving academic performance; it is also a source of empowerment for women, as equal access to water frees up time for women and girls to pursue education and economic activities that increase their independence. Today, girls and women in developing countries spend hours fetching the necessary water for household sustenance, having to neglect other activities.
In summary, access to clean water and sanitation is a critical factor affecting the development of other Sustainable Goals. It generally impacts the most disadvantaged communities with higher poverty rates, agricultural production uncertainties, health issues, school dropouts, income loss, social discrimination, gender inequality, and exploitation.
In low-income countries, one of the main obstacles to expanding water supply and sanitation coverage is limited access to financing. To address the scarcity problem, we must analyze how to solve it financially, accessing funds to invest in the necessary infrastructure for supply.
Financing and Sustainable Solutions
The multilateral financing model for solving such a complex problem has not been efficient and needs to be reinvented. Most disadvantaged countries are not prepared to manage them efficiently, nor do they have the appropriate professional level. A model change is needed to work together to finance and support water and sanitation projects in developing countries. For this, collaboration among governments, international organizations, the private sector, and citizens is essential.
Current levels, including tariff subsidies and fiscal transfers, are insufficient to cover the basic operating and maintenance costs of infrastructure, leading to asset deterioration, poor service quality, and inefficient operation. The aggregate investment/financing deficit needed to achieve global water security by 2030 is estimated at $6.7 trillion and $22.6 trillion to achieve it by 2050.
To expand water sector financing, it is essential to ensure that public funds are used efficiently and to increase available global financing by mobilizing private financing. To do this, it is necessary to reform water tariffs and subsidies, ensuring affordability and social protection for the most vulnerable, improve service providers’ efficiency and public spending, and use blended financing approaches to diversify and expand the spectrum of financial solutions.
