Efficient and better management of water resources is the key to provide a universal access to clean water and sanitation, according to professor Stefan Uhlenbrook, director of UNESCO Programme Office for Global Water Assessment.
The research carried out by the UN found that 2.1 billion people across the globe still lack access to safely managed drinking water while 4.5 billion people are still deprived of safely managed sanitation services.
The professor opined that the lack of access to safely managed drinking water and sanitation services presents a global challenge to the civil engineers.
In his lecture delivered at the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Uhlenbrook presented findings from the evidence-based review to establish the global baseline status of United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) 6, which focuses on the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation.
Uhlenbrook revealed that all heads of UN member states have agreed that to achieve SDG6 it is necessary to implement integrated water resources management (IWRM), which would ensure that the water resources are shared effectively among many competing demands, including across country borders.
Currently, only 38% of countries across the globe have implemented medium-high IWRM in 2017/18.
Other countries have also suggested certain measures such as increasing water-use efficiency by reducing water losses by addressing leakages in municipal distribution networks, to achieve SDG 6.
ICE engineering knowledge director Nathan Baker said: “The ‘water goal’ is essential for progress on all other SDGs, with sustainable water management enabling social development, such as improving health and reducing poverty and promoting economic growth across many industries.
“Civil engineers are in a unique and privileged position to help achieve the UN SDGs and ICE is committed to doing all it can to help the engineering sector develop practical steps to tackle SDG 6.
“The time has come to turn words into action and ICE is facilitating the global debate on engineering solutions at a Global Engineering Congress in October this year.” Newsletter For all the latest pharmaceutical industry news, sign up for our regular updates.

Several billion people around the world live without sufficient access to clean water.
The water crisis in the Cape Town has commanded headlines around the globe when the African National Congress declared a national state of emergency as the city had expected to run out of drinking water by April.
The city of 20 million faced its own Day Zero in 2015.
China is home to 20 percent of the world’s population but has only seven percent of the world’s fresh water available.
Challenges facing Cairo include the facts that 4.5 billion cubic meters of its water come from non-renewable sources and that its main source of water, the Nile, is a transboundary river.
In Mexico City, 20 percent of residents have tap water available only a few hours a week, and another 20 percent have running water just part of the day.
The city’s 30 million residents depend on surface water for 70 percent of their supply.
They serve as the early warning systems that demand correction now and in the future.
A March 2018 report World Water Development Report from the UN said that 36 percent of the cities in the world will face a water crisis by 2050.
Everyone has the right to sufficient, continuous, safe, acceptable, physically accessible, and affordable water for personal and domestic use.” Sources: The Mirror, Water shortage crisis: Millions of residents in London and South-East urged to use “as little as possible” after extreme weather hits supplies

United Nations, Feb 21 (PTI) Citing a project in India where farmers are using solar-powered pumps to access groundwater for irrigation, UN General Assembly president Miroslav Lajcak has said that the world needs science for tackling global water scarcity.
Noting that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls for making sure that there is water and sanitation for all, Lajcak yesterday said water is critical for achieving all Sustainable Development Goals but world leaders are not doing enough.
Science now helps us to calculate how population growth and climate change will affect the availability of water; It helps us track the shifting of rivers in order to help predict floods; In India there is a project where farmers use solar-powered pumps to access groundwater for crop irrigation,�??
from Cape Town to Flint, Michigan."
Noting that 2030 Agenda calls for making sure that there is water and sanitation for all, he said water is critical for achieving all Sustainable Development Goals.
"Yet we are not doing enough, collectively, to achieve SDG 6 on water,�??
Four out of 10 people worldwide are affected by water scarcity.
"And focusing on people means understanding their plight.
We have to bridge the gap between science and policy �??
and the gap between policy and people.

United Nations, Feb 21 (PTI) Citing a project in India where farmers are using solar-powered pumps to access groundwater for irrigation, UN General Assembly president Miroslav Lajcak has said that the world needs science for tackling global water scarcity.
Noting that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls for making sure that there is water and sanitation for all, Lajcak yesterday said water is critical for achieving all Sustainable Development Goals but world leaders are not doing enough.
Science now helps us to calculate how population growth and climate change will affect the availability of water; It helps us track the shifting of rivers in order to help predict floods; In India there is a project where farmers use solar-powered pumps to access groundwater for crop irrigation,�??
from Cape Town to Flint, Michigan."
Noting that 2030 Agenda calls for making sure that there is water and sanitation for all, he said water is critical for achieving all Sustainable Development Goals.
"Yet we are not doing enough, collectively, to achieve SDG 6 on water,�??
Four out of 10 people worldwide are affected by water scarcity.
"And focusing on people means understanding their plight.
We have to bridge the gap between science and policy �??
and the gap between policy and people.

LAPSSET project distorts Lamu Island heritage, court told.
Some Lamu residents on Tuesday told a five-judge bench that the ongoing construction of multi-billion Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) corridor has violated their rights to cultural life.
He urged Justices, John Mativo, Jaden Thuranira, Pauline Nyamweya, Joel Ngugi and Joseph Onguto sitting in Malindi to suspend the project until the government observes environmental remedies on protecting and conserving marine life.
Mr Somo said that the ongoing dredging at the Indian Ocean in Lamu for the construction of Lamu port has destroyed mangrove forests, sea grass, and coral reefs which are fish and turtle nesting areas.
A marine biologist was also among the witness in the petition against the Attorney General, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), among other government department linked to the LAPSSET project.
“NEMA went on to grant licence to implement the project disregarding the environment and social impact assessment study report for construction of the first three berths of Lamu port and,” he added.
Mr Somo said that part of the report conducted by Coastal Oceans and Research Development (CORDIO) experts recommended they be given modern fishing vessels to enable them proceed with fishing at deep sea.
Dr Obura said he has studied the ocean terrain of the area and even snorkelled to observe the coral reefs at the seabed which are on threat of destruction due to water pollution and dredging activity.
During cross examination, Dr Obura said the coral reefs, mangroves and other marine lives can be saved by replanting them after completing the dredging activity caused by LAPSSET project.
The petitioner lawyers, Christine Nkonge and Lempaa Suyianka said they have three more witnesses to testify before concluding the matter.

UNESCO & EU launching the second module of Capacity Building Support for the National Water Sector of Iraq [EN/AR].
Erbil,10 April 2017- In the framework of joint efforts towards supporting the Iraqi government in overcoming the devastating impact of water shortage, UNESCO and the European Union (EU) have initiated the Capacity Building project component under phase II of the water sector flagship-intervention "Advanced Survey of Hydrogeological Resources in Iraq" (ASHRI-2), a pioneering initiative aiming to improve national capacities in the exploration, administration and integrated management of groundwater resources, and to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of public planning, as well as informed policy making in the National Water Sector.
Since its launch in November 2013, ASHRI-2 has delivered critical data, information and knowledge management tools on the groundwater conditions in Iraq.
Based on internationally applied Best Practices, ASHRI-2 has deployed state-of-the-art methodologies and techniques in geo-scientific assessment, cartography and IT-based documentation supporting strategic groundwater resources’ management.
"Acquiring a full understanding of the water shortage in Iraq is the first step towards effectively addressing its deep social and economic impacts", stated the Director of UNESCO Iraq Office, Louise Haxthausen.
Adhering to internationally recognized and applied best practices, the project will substantially contribute to informed decision-making, and thus sustainable use of national groundwater resources.
At the same time, the outcome of ASHRI-2 can be key to open doors for trans-boundary management of shared water resources to address water governance, adaptive capacity towards climate change induced water scarcity ", added Mrs. Haxthausen.
EU Ambassador to Iraq Patrick Simonnet, said: "this project illustrates very well the importance of effectively managing water resources in Iraq.
Water is key in this region, and we should not lose track of its future, ensuring a sound and sustainable management of water and land resources.
We are confident that UNESCO, in cooperation with the Iraqi authorities, will bridge the gaps at this critical time and provide all the necessary tools to face the challenges of water shortages – not only for Iraq, but beyond.” Through a EU contribution of five million Euros, "ASHRI-2" has validated and updated essential data and information on Iraq’s groundwater resources, improving the government’s management capabilities in this field.