DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION:A FORMIDABLE CHALLENGE

In 2002, there were 2.6 billion people without even the most basic sanitation facilities. Providing improved sanitation for an additional 1.8 billion from 2002 to 2015 will achieve the Millenium Development Goals (MDG) target to halve the proportion unserved by 2015. But, because of rising population, there will still be 1.8 billion people having to
cope with unhygienic sanitation facilities at that time.
The population benefiting from improved sanitation went up by 87 million a year from 1990 to 2002.
An increase to 138 million a year from 2002 to 2015 is needed if the MDG sanitation target is to be met – a 58% acceleration. Sub-Saharan Africa will need almost to double the annual numbers of additional
people served with drinking water and quadruplicate the additional numbers served with basic
sanitation if the MDG target is to be reached. So, reaching the target means going faster and investing considerably more.That is being recognized by the world community in political proclamations and in increased commitments to the sector in some of he poorest countries.There is a strong case to do even more.
Lack of drinking water and sanitation kills about 4500 children a day and sentences their siblings, parents and neighbours to sickness, squalor and enduring poverty. Improvements bring immediate
and lasting benefits in health, dignity, education, productivity and income generation.
The estimated economic benefit comes in several forms:
-Health care savings of US$ 7 billion a year for health agencies and US$ 340 million for individuals.
-320 million productive days gained each year in the 15–59 year age group, an extra 272 million school attendance days a year, and an added 1.5 billion healthy days for children under 5 years of age, together representing productivity gains of US$ 9.9 billion a year.
-Time savings resulting from more convenient drinking water and sanitation services totalling 20 billion working days a year, giving a productivity payback of some US$ 63 billion a year.
-Value of deaths averted, based on discounted future earnings, amounting to US$ 3.6 billion a year.
The WHO study from which these figures are taken shows a total payback of US$ 84 billion a year from the US$11.3 billion a year investment needed to meet the MDG drinking water and sanitation target. It shows too some remarkable additional returns if simple household water treatment accompanies the drinking water and sanitation improvements.