EHTSA, celebrates 2014 World Water Day

Being a paper presented on the celebration of World Water Day by Environmental Health Technology Student Association, EHTSA, Federal University of Technology, Owerri on 22nd March, 2014.

Read by Celestine Onah

Despite the fact that water is one of the basic essential for life, it is a scarce commodity in many parts of the world as 20% of the world population lacks safe drinking water. Adequate water that is safe, wholesome, and potable is a necessity in life that will free human from diseases associated with poor, contaminated and inadequate water supply.

In Nigeria, access to safe water is a major challenge. According to 2008 WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme, the proportion o f the population using water from improved sources has decrease by 3% from 1990 to 2006, the proportion of urban population with access to improved sources of drinking water decrease by 15% from 80% in 1990 to 65% in 2006 and in rural areas it reduced by 4% from the 34% in 1990 to 30% in 2006.

The decrease by 15% in 16 years is very significant considering the people living in urban areas increased from 30-49% from 1990 to 2006.

Also, the MDG target for Nigeria is 75%, but the facts on ground shows that Nigeria is not on track to meet the MDG target, and if it continues like this only 44% of people in Nigeria will have access to improved water sources.

World Water Day tries to remind people about the significance of fresh water and to promote sustainability for fresh water resources management. The day was first proposed in 1992 during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development [UNCED], but was officially assigned to 22 March in 1993 by United Nations General Assembly. 

The 2014 theme is ‘Water and Energy’. Water and energy are closely interlinked and interdependent. Energy generation and transmission requires utilization of water resources, particularly for hydroelectric, nuclear and thermal energy source. Conversely, about 8% of the global energy generation is used for pumping, treating and transporting water to various consumers.

It is based on this that United Nation is bringing its attention to the water-energy nexus particularly addressing inequities, especially for the ‘bottom billion’ who  live in slums and impoverished rural areas and survive without access to safe drinking water, adequate sanitation, sufficient food and energy services.

Also it aims to facilitate the development of policies and crosscutting framework that bridge ministries and sectors, leading the way to energy security and sustainable water use in a green economy.

Environmental Health Technology Students Association [EHTSA], FUTO chapter enjoins us to celebrate the day and spread these messages:

Water requires energy and energy requires water

Water is required to produce nearly all form of energy. Energy is needed at all stages of water extraction, treatment and distribution

Supplies are limited and demand is increasing

Demand for fresh water and energy will continue to increase significantly over the coming decades. This increase will prevent big challenges and strain resources in nearly all regions, especially n developing and emerging economies.

Saving energy is saving water, saving water is saving energy

Choices concerning the supply, distribution, price and use of water and energy impact one another.

The ‘bottom billion’ urgently needs access to both water and sanitation services, and electricity.

Worldwide, 1.3 billion people cannot access electricity, 768 million people lack access to improved water sources and 2.5 billion people have no improved sanitation. Water and energy have crucial impacts on poverty alleviation.

Improving water and energy efficiency is imperative as are coordinated, coherent and concerted policies

Better understanding between the two sectors of the connections and effects on each other will improve coordination in energy and water planning, leading to reducing inefficiencies. Policy-makers, planners and practitioners can take steps to overcome the barriers that exist between their respective domains. Innovative and pragmatic national policies can lead to more efficient and cost effective provision of water and energy services.

We are also calling on Nigeria to improve on the current water supply coverage [44%] which is below the MDG target [75%], and provide all the necessary inputs for clean, safe, and potable water supply to the nation.

10 facts about Water, Sanitation and Energy

1                   900 million people do not have access to safe drinking water;

2                   2.5 million people do not have access to improved sanitation;

3                   Improve sanitation can reduced diarrhea morbidity by 32%;

4       5 countries has the highest number of people who practiced open defaecation: Nigeria, 34 million; Pakistan, 40 million; India, 626 million; Ethiopia, 38 million; and Indonesia, 63 million;

5       2.4 billion [equivalent to third of humanity] do not have access to advanced form of energy: electricity, liquid or gaseous fuels;

6          The growth of world population in 2 billion people over the next decades will increase the need for water by 44% and energy demand by 50% in2050;

7       The energy prevails among contributors to climate change, accounting for 60% approximately of total emissions of greenhouses gases worldwide;

8                   75% industrial water extractions are used for energy production;

9                   30% energy inefficiently or unnecessarily used in buildings; and

10              5 most energy consumer countries are: USA, 97.4^*; Russia, 32.7^*; India 23.6^*; China 109.6^*; and Japan 20.8^*. [* Total annual primary energy consumption, 2011, [quadrillion Btu]

Sources: UN water, United Nations, Energy House Publishing, Energy Information Administration.