Unfortunately, everyone in the world does not have access to clean water. In fact, one-third of the world’s population does not have safe water to drink. When people are forced to use contaminated water for drinking, bathing, and cooking, the results are catastrophic.
Every year, more than one million people die from diseases carried by contaminated water. Children are especially vulnerable. People who don’t have access to clean water may be too sick to work and provide for their families. Food shortages can affect an entire area when there is not enough clean water to grow crops. Women and girls often need to spend most of their time carrying water from distant sites, leaving no time to work or go to school. Conflicts over water can erupt into war, causing additional suffering and poverty.
For all these reasons, when we are asked – Is access to clean water a basic human right? – our answer is, “Absolutely.”
What Classifies as Clean Water?
Clean water is water that will not harm people who come in contact with it, either by drinking, swimming, or in any other way. Clean water has low levels of dangerous contaminants. These contaminants can be biological, including bacteria and viruses, or human-made chemicals, including pesticides and petroleum products. Metals and other substances can also cause dangerous contamination of water sources.
Clean water must be available in sufficient quantities to meet people’s basic needs for drinking, cooking, bathing, cleaning, and sanitation. It must also be accessible by being in or near people’s homes and by being affordable.
Legally
The legal status of the right to clean water varies around the world. Some countries recognize a fundamental human right to clean and safe water, but others do not.
In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly voted to establish the right to clean and safe water as a basic human right.
Ethically
Ethically, the right to clean and safe water is absolutely a basic human right. No one should have to risk their life or health by drinking contaminated water. The deaths, severe illnesses, poverty, and conflicts that contaminated water causes are problems that can – and should – be eliminated by providing everyone with clean water. It’s a tragedy that these preventable problems still persist.
How Different Countries View This Issue?
In the United States, there is nothing in the federal constitution that says that the country’s citizens have the right to access clean water. Federal laws and regulations that deal with water also fail to state that clean water is a human right.
Together, We Can Change Lives
With your support, we can continue to expand our reach and provide safe water solutions to more communities around the world.
California does better. In the state’s Water Code, there’s a statement of general policy, which says that every human being has the right to water that is clean, safe, accessible, and affordable and is adequate for drinking, cooking, and sanitation. This is great, but on the other hand, the same policy statement says that the state is not obligated to provide water or spend more on water infrastructure other than that state agencies should consider the policy.
Other countries have varying policies. For example:
- In South Africa, both the constitution and the country’s laws provide for a right to clean water.
- In India, although the country’s constitution does not explicitly protect the right to clean water, the courts have held that people do have a right to safe and sufficient water as part of their overall right to life.
- In New Zealand, there is no legally protected right to clean water.
The 2010 United Nations resolution that recognized access to clean and safe water as a human right passed the General Assembly with 122 votes in favor. However, 41 countries, including the United States, abstained rather than voting for the resolution.
The resolution calls on countries and organizations to scale up efforts to provide clean and accessible drinking water and sanitation for all people. These efforts include providing financial resources and technology, especially to developing countries.
Despite the U.N. resolution, many countries and organizations still refuse to accept the idea that clean water is a basic human right – or they do not agree on what that idea means. There is much debate about the scope of the right and about how to enforce it. Some believe that water should be treated as a private commodity to be bought and sold, not as something that everyone is entitled to regardless of their ability to pay.
Countries Affected by Water Scarcity
Water scarcity is a global problem that affects many countries, particularly those in developing regions. Some of the countries that are currently dealing with water scarcity issues include:
- El Salvador: El Salvador has been experiencing a severe water crisis for many years. The country’s limited water resources are further strained by climate change and pollution.
- Guatemala: Guatemala has significant water scarcity problems due to its geographic location, with much of the country located in a dry corridor. Water quality is also a significant issue, with many rural communities lacking access to safe drinking water.
- Haiti: Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere and faces significant water scarcity issues. The country has limited infrastructure to manage water resources, and many people lack access to clean water and sanitation facilities.
- Mexico: Mexico is a country that has faced significant water scarcity challenges due to rapid population growth, over-extraction of groundwater, and pollution. Many rural areas in Mexico lack access to safe drinking water, and water shortages are increasingly common in urban areas.
- Colombia: Colombia is a country that faces significant water scarcity challenges due to its geography and climate. The country is home to many water sources, but many communities lack access to these resources due to a lack of infrastructure.
- Cambodia: Cambodia is a country that is heavily impacted by climate change, and water scarcity is a significant issue. The country’s rivers and lakes are under threat due to deforestation, pollution, and climate change, which has led to more frequent droughts and water shortages.
- Honduras: Honduras is a country that faces significant water scarcity challenges due to its geography and climate. The country has limited water resources, and many communities lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities.
These countries are just a few examples of the many nations dealing with water scarcity. It’s clear that we need to take action to ensure that everyone has access to clean, safe water, regardless of where they live. By working together, we can create a more sustainable and equitable future for all.
What Does Healing Waters Believe?
At Healing Waters International, we reject these arguments. We strongly believe that access to clean, safe, and sufficient water must be a basic human right for everyone. Our organization is dedicated to turning these beliefs into practical actions.
We design solutions for communities that are experiencing water insecurity. We create water treatment systems customized for the needs of each community. These systems remove harmful contaminants from the water. The systems are designed to be sustainable, to use whatever power sources are available, and to run at a very low cost.
Meeting the human right to clean water includes not only providing water that is safe, but also providing it in sufficient quantities to meet people’s basic needs for drinking, cooking, bathing, and sanitation. Our systems are designed to produce enough purified water to fulfill those needs without imposing unnecessary financial burdens by producing more than is needed in any particular community.
We also work with local trainers who will teach the community’s women and children about how water gets contaminated and how they can help prevent the spread of diseases caused by germs in the water. Technology and education together provide the essential support for creating a sustainable, on-going system creating community-wide access to clean and safe water. We need your help to carry out this important work! Donations from people like you are essential to bring life-changing clean water to communities in need around the world. You can help us continue our mission to end the water crisis and to provide as many people as we can reach with the basic human need for clean and accessible water. Please donate today!