Today, nearly half the world population lives in urban areas in 2025, this figure will exceed 60%, about 5 billion people.
This growth in urban population is particularly important in poor countries: between 1970 and 2000, this population is likely to be increased from 635 million to over $ 2 billion, an increase of almost 350% in 30 years, whereas in Rich countries will be only 54%.
In many Third World cities, only half of the drinking water needs are met and it dramatically lacks infrastructure for sewage disposal and rainwater, where floods and often deadly diseases. Moreover, the quality of freshwater resources is deteriorating here because of industrial pollution and domestic. This is a problem that developed countries are familiar, they are trying to resolve for some years now, with technology becoming more sophisticated that poor countries do not have.
In these circumstances, and considering the future urban growth, living today in a city where water is available in sufficient quantity and poses no health hazard, and where the sewage is discharged safely to humans and the environment is an opportunity and even a luxury.
Around the world governments mobilize very significant efforts to improve access to drinking water, toilets, the management of wastewater and stormwater. Operators, public and private, contribute actively to the implementation of public policies on water and sanitation.
When you know that last July 28, 2010, the United Nations has recognized access to drinking water and sanitation as a human right, and through the Millennium Development Goals agreed by the UN, the world seeks to expand access to safe water and sanitation.
Today, efforts in this area are important and produce quite satisfactory results. Indeed, hundreds of millions of people have gained access to safe water or sanitation services in recent decades can be read in a press release.
Only small problem, new public policies fail not follow the rapid urbanization of the planet.
Within this framework there qu'AquaFed, International Federation of Private Operators in Water Services, has decided to do a little analysis to see the evolution of public policies for water and sanitation.
According to the Federation, between 2000 and 2008 world population grew from 635 million people of whom 511 million (80%) live in urban areas and 124 million (20%) live in rural areas.
In half of the rural population, where the needs are numerically higher, access to water and sanitation have improved significantly in the last decade. In contrast, in half the urban population, despite hundreds of millions of people who have better access to clean water or sanitation, the policies have failed to prevent overall situation to deteriorate, can be read in a press release.
AquaFed compared the latest available figures (2008) with those of 2000 and has been a marked deterioration.
Explanation: in cities, large, medium or small, about 8 years ago was an increase $ 114 million more people without access to drinking water at home or in close proximity, 135 million fewer people without access to hygienic toilets and private (basic sanitation).
"Today people in town do not have adequate access to drinking water or sanitation are more numerous than in the late twentieth century. In half of the urban world, access to safe water and sanitation deteriorates. Current efforts to expand access to safe drinking water and access to sanitation can not keep pace with the urbanization of the planet. A start is urgently needed to reverse these worrying trends, "said Gerard Payen, President of AquaFed at the World Water Week in Stockholm.
Source: News Log environnement.com
This growth in urban population is particularly important in poor countries: between 1970 and 2000, this population is likely to be increased from 635 million to over $ 2 billion, an increase of almost 350% in 30 years, whereas in Rich countries will be only 54%.
In many Third World cities, only half of the drinking water needs are met and it dramatically lacks infrastructure for sewage disposal and rainwater, where floods and often deadly diseases. Moreover, the quality of freshwater resources is deteriorating here because of industrial pollution and domestic. This is a problem that developed countries are familiar, they are trying to resolve for some years now, with technology becoming more sophisticated that poor countries do not have.
In these circumstances, and considering the future urban growth, living today in a city where water is available in sufficient quantity and poses no health hazard, and where the sewage is discharged safely to humans and the environment is an opportunity and even a luxury.
Around the world governments mobilize very significant efforts to improve access to drinking water, toilets, the management of wastewater and stormwater. Operators, public and private, contribute actively to the implementation of public policies on water and sanitation.
When you know that last July 28, 2010, the United Nations has recognized access to drinking water and sanitation as a human right, and through the Millennium Development Goals agreed by the UN, the world seeks to expand access to safe water and sanitation.
Today, efforts in this area are important and produce quite satisfactory results. Indeed, hundreds of millions of people have gained access to safe water or sanitation services in recent decades can be read in a press release.
Only small problem, new public policies fail not follow the rapid urbanization of the planet.
Within this framework there qu'AquaFed, International Federation of Private Operators in Water Services, has decided to do a little analysis to see the evolution of public policies for water and sanitation.
According to the Federation, between 2000 and 2008 world population grew from 635 million people of whom 511 million (80%) live in urban areas and 124 million (20%) live in rural areas.
In half of the rural population, where the needs are numerically higher, access to water and sanitation have improved significantly in the last decade. In contrast, in half the urban population, despite hundreds of millions of people who have better access to clean water or sanitation, the policies have failed to prevent overall situation to deteriorate, can be read in a press release.
AquaFed compared the latest available figures (2008) with those of 2000 and has been a marked deterioration.
Explanation: in cities, large, medium or small, about 8 years ago was an increase $ 114 million more people without access to drinking water at home or in close proximity, 135 million fewer people without access to hygienic toilets and private (basic sanitation).
"Today people in town do not have adequate access to drinking water or sanitation are more numerous than in the late twentieth century. In half of the urban world, access to safe water and sanitation deteriorates. Current efforts to expand access to safe drinking water and access to sanitation can not keep pace with the urbanization of the planet. A start is urgently needed to reverse these worrying trends, "said Gerard Payen, President of AquaFed at the World Water Week in Stockholm.
Source: News Log environnement.com
