Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
and Sanitation
This key sheet is part of a series of awareness raising tools
developed by Irish Aid to accompany its Environment Policy
for Sustainable Development.
In this key sheet, the term “water and sanitation” means water supply for domestic
use and the management of human excreta. Related issues — including hygiene
promotion, solid waste management, drainage, water resource management for
productive uses, air pollution and broad vector control — are not explored in detail here.
3. Water, Sanitation and the safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water
for personal and domestic uses.
Millennium Development What this means is that the 145 countries that have ratified
According to the World Water Assessment Programme, an Infants, children and women are affected most profoundly
ongoing assessment process within the UN system, water and by inadequate water supply or sanitation. Related diseases
sanitation issues permeate all of the Millennium Development hit infants and children hardest, while women bear the brunt
Goals (MDGs). Here we look at two MDGs where these issues of responsibilities, as it is usually they who nurse the ill. The
have most direct linkages with the environment. horrendous health statistics typically linked to inadequate
water and sanitation (see Section 4 below) are merely the
3.1 MDG 7: environmental sustainability most easily quantified aspect of a more far-reaching burden.
Access to water and sanitation is now recognized as a basic
human right (see Box 1). However, in 2002 about 1.1 billion Health is rarely the only motive for people wanting better
people still lacked access to improved water supplies, and water and sanitation. Collecting and carrying water, and dealing
2.6 billion to improved sanitation. MDG 7, which focuses with the consequences of sanitary deficiencies, can be both
on ensuring environmental sustainability, has from the start gruelling and demeaning. As these tasks fall mainly to women,
included the target of reducing by half the proportion of people they constitute a serious social and economic problem (see
without sustainable access to safe drinking water by 2015. Gender and Environment Key Sheets).
4. Water and sanitation million people who die from them every year, over 90 per cent
are children under five.
as key factors in Improved living environments for the rural and urban poor could
environmental health prevent most of this. In recent decades mortality rates for
children with diarrhoeal diseases have fallen because of better
oral rehydration therapy. But it is prevention — via cleaner
It’s supremely ironic that water — the source of life — is
water, better sanitation and hygiene — that has proven to be
also the ideal breeding ground or vehicle for some of the
the most effective way of blocking transmission routes.
most devastating diseases known, if correct environmental
management techniques are not employed.
4.2 Other water-related diseases
Because water flows downstream, whatever happens to it as A number of debilitating water-related diseases pose
it makes that journey will determine the quantity and quality a significant risk in the tropics and subtropics, these
available for human use. Wastewater disposal or sanitation include malaria, dengue fever, river blindness, scabies and
practices can introduce pollutants into water used for bathing, schistosomisis.
washing or fishing.
WHO 2004
Ghebreyesus et al. 1999
WHO 2007a
10 WHO TDR 11 Development Cooperation Ireland 2002.
What of the future? As climate change grips, it is predicted
that water stress in some regions will worsen (see Box 4). And 6. Mainstreaming the
there are other potential problems in store.
environment into water
With less water available for domestic and agricultural use
in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa, sewer systems may silt and sanitation issues
up, causing blockages, leakage and potentially releasing high
concentrations of bacteria and other microorganisms into urban 1. If you work with Poverty Reduction Strategy processes
environments. Water scarcity may force people to revert to help to ensure that they reflect the priority that those living
water sources such as rivers, which are often contaminated, in poverty give to water and sanitation improvement and
with negative implications for health and wellbeing as well as engage in dialogue with other donors and the government
river flows. So assessing the implications of climate change on the importance of the environment in water and
and planning appropriately will figure larger in future design and sanitation interventions.
management of water supply and sanitation.12 Biodiveristy can
be threatened where watercourses are stressed from waste 2. If you work with community groups identify and support
and nutrient overload and where water resources are diverted successful locally driven efforts and innovative technologies
to meet large population demands. from other regions to secure better water and sanitation
provision. In addition support funds that such groups
On the positive side, there are opportunities for appropriate can use to improve local conditions and environmental
technologies such as rainwater harvesting, water re-use and management proposals that contribute to water and
leakage management to reduce demand on water for domestic sanitation services.
uses and cut the costs of service provision. 13
3. If you work with small enterprise development, support
improvements in small water and sanitation enterprises, as
Box 4 Thirsty future: climate change
they often provide complementary services in low-income
and water stress13 areas. Enable the decentralisation of service delivery by
The impacts of climate change — changes in rainfall supporting the development of local contractors. Ensure
patterns, more extreme weather events in certain regions access to affordable finance at local level to improve access
— are likely to have a knock-on effect on water stress in a to water and sanitation and strengthen local livelihoods.
number of countries. Future scenarios of water availability
worked out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 4. If you support community led research, explore
Change show a decline of 30 per cent or more in rainfall opportunities for Total Sanitation (eradicating the practice of
runoff for Angola, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe; Senegal, open defecation through education and toilet construction)
Mauritania, and much of North Africa and the Middle East; to provide local groups with a better basis for both solving
and much of Brazil, parts of Venezuela, and Colombia. their own problems and negotiating for better services.
Enable local research into water quality monitoring, water
Issues arising from this shift could include a risk to rainfed pricing, alternative environmentally friendly technologies
agricultural production, the source of livelihood for most and land and water rights.
of the world’s poorest people; rising water insecurity; and
declining grain productivity in many developing countries. 5. If you work with national planning efforts, assist
There are a number of uncertain complicating factors. As in the development of strategic water, sanitation and
glaciers shrink, for example, water flows in rivers can lessen, environmental policies based on international best practice,
with serious implications for downstream users. Sea level rise targeting marginalised areas and supporting local efforts to
can flood coasts, leaving freshwater supplies salinised and improve provision. Be aware that responsibility for water
sanitation crises in its wake. What is clear is that adaptation and sanitation is generally shared among several ministries
measures need to factor in water supply and sanitation as and that special attention is needed to facilitate coherent
a matter of course. Water conservation, through damming and cooperative approaches to water management
rainwater, and the planting of drought-tolerant species are just and sanitation. Ensure that the relevant ministry for the
two methods of staving off undue water stress. environment is included in planning discussions. Support
approaches that recognise equity, access and affordability.
Recognise the importance of investment in information
systems to map coverage of services and to monitor quality
and quantity of water resources including groundwater
12 UNEP and UNFCCC 2002a and 2002b; WaterAid 2007
mapping river flows or lake levels.
13 UNDP 2006
6. If you work with urban authorities, support slum
upgrading, best practice in relation to crosscutting issues
(e.g. gender equality and environment sustainability)
and measures that can improve relations between local
authorities and the residents of ’illegal’ settlements,
e.g. recognition of settlements and formal land rights to
allow service providers to formalise provision. Promote
water conservation, appropriate water and wastewater
treatment and outflows and leakage management in piped
water systems. Promote the application of systematic
Environmental Impact Assessments prior to detailed
planning of services.