Q & A: As Water Scarcity Becomes the New Normal How Do We Manage This Scarce Resource?

In south west coastal Satkhira, Bangladesh as salinity has spread to freshwater sources, a private water seller fills his 20-litre cans with public water supply to sell in islands where poor families spend 300 Bangladesh Taka every month to buy drinking and cooking water alone. Credit: Manipadma Jena/IPSBy Manipadma JenaSTOCKHOLM, Sep 11 2018 (IPS)Growing economies are thirsty economies. And water scarcity has become “the new normal” in many parts of the world, according to Torgyn Holmgren, executive director of the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI).As climate change converges with rapid economic and urban development and poor farming practices in the emerging economies of South Asia, water insecurity for marginalised people and farmers is already intensifying.By 2030 for instance, India’s demand for water is estimated to become double the available water supply. Forests, wetlands lost, rivers and oceans will be degraded in the name of development. This need not be so. Development can be sustainable, it can be green.Technology today is a key component in achieving water use sustainability – be it reduced water use in industries and agriculture, or in treating waste water, among others. Low and middle income economies need water and data technology support from developed countries not only to reach Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 on water, which relates to access to safe water and sanitation as well as the sound management of freshwater supplies, but ...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Asia-Pacific Development & Aid Environment Europe Featured Gender Headlines Health Natural Resources Population Poverty & SDGs Regional Categories TerraViva United Nations Water & Sanitation Stockholm International Water Instit Source Type: news