World Water Day 2010

Water Quality: Healthy People, Healthy Ecosystems

The theme of World Water Day – March 22 2010 – is Water Quality. As sector professionals, we are aware that good water quality in our basins and watersheds sustains healthy ecosystems and good water quality for drinking purposes leads to improved human well-being and that within the context of the water cycle, these are inextricably linked. We know also that poor water quality affects the environment and human well-being. For example, waterborne diseases cause the death of more than 1.5 million children each year.

The quality of water resources is increasingly threatened by a variety of pollutants. Human activity over the past 50 years is responsible for unprecedented pollution of water resources. Every day, 2 million tons of sewage and other effluents drain into the world’s waters. The problem is worse in developing countries where over 90% of raw sewage and 70% of untreated industrial wastes are dumped into surface waters.

IWA Core Messages

The International Water Association – the world’s leading association for water professionals – has a long history of supporting the technical community’s work in relation to water quality. On World Water Day 2010, the Association reaffirms the following core messages:

• Good water quality is an essential enabler for economic growth and development – from reducing biodiversity loss through to impacting on child mortality rates.
• The consequences of population growth and rapid urbanisation present tangible threats to water quality, if not adequately dealt with through planning and financing. As a sector, we need to invest in adequate infrastructure, proper operation & maintenance and the management of municipal waste streams to mitigate the impact on water quality;
• Climate change and adaptation presents systems providers – utilities – with challenges and opportunities for organizing service provision differently. Understanding, prioritising and managing the associated risks and being responsive to change are the foundation to building resilience.
• Emerging health risks associated with drinking water supplies requires the continuous development of innovative technologies and management strategies to ensure that drinking water is of a good quality. The development and implementation of new management practices and the application of new technologies requires leadership from an interdisciplinary and global professional body such as IWA and the participation of its members.
• The urgent need to step up research, monitoring and assessment of water quality at global, regional, and local levels. Scientific findings from research should inform sound policy formation and implementation. Furthermore sufficiently funded and manned regulatory functions are required to ensure compliance with and enforcement of rules and regulations.

IWA’s response – the work of our members

IWA, through the work of our 10,000 members and supporters, seeks to address challenges to water quality through concrete and innovative actions at the local level. Typical examples include:

• Water Safety Planning: IWA recommend pro-active efforts to reduce risks and prevent contamination before water reaches to consumers. This can be achieved by shifting emphasis of drinking-water quality management to holistic risk-based approach that covers the catchment-to-consumer. Such approaches – referred to as WSPs – can contribute to reducing the portion of the global disease burden attributed to poor drinking water and inadequate sanitation & hygiene.
• Water Quality Monitoring: IWA coordinates local level awareness raising and community engagement on water quality issues worldwide as a way to drive greater understanding of the importance of water quality on all aspects of public life. World Water Monitoring Day – implemented with the Water Environment Federation – includes simple water quality monitoring and assessment measures that school children, youth and other community groups can conduct in assessing local water quality. In 2009, this programme reached 123,000 participants worldwide, in 81 countries.
• Operation & Maintenance: IWA coordinates a knowledge network focusing on protocols, tools and guidance related to operation & maintenance of water and wastewater systems in low and middle income countries. The experience and knowledge provided through such a network provides concrete guidance that helps to ensure the ongoing effectiveness of water safety plans through good operation & maintenance. For further information, see 
• Specialist groups: IWA Specialist Groups represent the core vehicle for issue-based interaction on scientific, technical and management topics. Many specialist groups cover topics related to water quality and facilitate scientific collaboration and knowledge generation on the topic, including conferences and publications. As an example, the specialist group on Metals and Related substances in Drinking Water is currently producing a series of best practice guides; the most recent related to Control of Lead in Drinking Water, together with an abbreviated guide aimed at small community water supplies. These guides will provide, for the first time, comprehensive practitioner-based information for helping water suppliers and health agencies to tackle the widespread problem of lead in drinking water. More information can be obtained from IWA Publishing.
• Events and conferences: IWA organises a number of global and regional conferences to provide knowledge exchange and networking opportunities for its members. Relevant examples on the theme of water quality include:
  • IWA-WHO Water Safety Conference – Malaysia, November 2-4 2010
  • Utility Management Conference – Barcelona, Spain, 10-12 May 2010
  • Water and wastewater treatment plants in towns and communities of the XXI century: technologies, design & operation - Moscow, Russia, 2-4 June 2010
• Publications: IWA has published many practical guidance documents relating to drinking water quality, both through IWA headquarters and from IWA. Search through www.iwap.co.uk