This article is focused on the following UN Sustainable Development Goal:
When we talk about water, we often have this idea that it is an inexhaustible resource available to everyone. Well this might be true for where you live, however it’s not necessarily the case for the population of a lot of other countries around the world.
According to Life-water International, nearly 800 million people lacked basic access to clean water in 2020.
The lack of access to clean water for a population can lead to the expansion of various deadly diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and polio. It also causes a decrease in the population's ability to feed themselves as well as the number of children regularly attending schools. For the population of these countries, it’s a constant struggle that awaits for an answer. Among these countries, we can note Indonesia, which has a very huge water problem.
With a population of 273 million people, Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world and claims Southeast Asia’s largest economy. The capital, Jakarta, continues to expand as an international hub, however, rural communities and residents of informal settlements in urban areas struggle with infrastructure and poor health. For many families, water sources are distant, contaminated or expensive, and household sanitation is unaffordable. According to the media Antara, only 11% of Indonesia's population has access to clean drinking water.
According to The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) is the global public expert on water access, sanitation, and hygiene. Basic access” requires that a person is able to gather safe water in under a 30 minute round trip. This includes the time that it takes to wait in line. About 18 million Indonesians lack access to safe water and 20 million lack access to improved sanitation. Fortunately, there is a growing urgency due to national targets for universal access to safe water and sanitation by 2024, and both the public and private sectors are recognizing that financing for household water and sanitation solutions is a growing need.
In the continuous fight against water crises all around the world we each have our part to play. For those of you who live in a country where you don't have access to clean water, here’s what you can do:Education/Awareness, New Conservation Technologies ,Recycle Wastewater, Improve Irrigation and Agriculture Water Use, and Rain Water Harvesting.
Even if you are not in this situation and you would like to contribute meaningfully, here are some ways you can help. Raising awareness on the subject is one of them. Talk to the people around you about these issues and educate them on how they should change their use of clean water. Some regions led by India, Australia and the Southwest U.S., are already facing the freshwater crisis. The most critical task is making sure the problem is much better understood worldwide. A lot of associations such as Water.org are already working on ways to increase the access of clean water in Indonesia.
You can also be a part of the change by donating to this association or any other you think is doing a great job in places that need them.
In conclusion, water might be an inexhaustible resource however drinking water isn’t and for some people it is very rare. We need to be aware of this if we ever intend to make it change. So next time you think of wasting water remember how valuable it is.
Remember, change starts with you.
Lifewater international (2023) Lifewater International. Available at: https://lifewater.org/ (Accessed: February 18, 2023).
Indonesia's water crisis - Indonesia's water problems in 2022 (no date) Water.org. Available at: https://water.org/our-impact/where-we-work/indonesia/ (Accessed: February 18, 2023).
Rangga P A J, F.R. (2023) Safe drinking water access in Indonesia reaches 11 percent: VP, Antara News. ANTARA. Available at: https://en.antaranews.com/news/230017/safe-drinking-water-access-in-indonesia-reaches-11-percent-vp (Accessed: February 18, 2023).
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