Clean Water and Sanitation
This goal is about improving environmental practices and technologies for municipal and industrial water management and productivity. It aims to prevent the discharge of effluents into international waters via coastal areas, rivers, lakes and wetlands.
Concepts and case studies under SDG 6 are as follows:
Water resources and water pollution
Water resources are natural sources of water that occur on the Earth that are of potential use to humans. Safe drinking water and adequate sanitation and hygiene are fundamental to the protection of people's health. However, this crucial-for-life resource is being contaminated and wasted. According to the World Bank, there are currently 2.1 billion people who do not have access to safely managed water and 844 million who do not have a basic drinking water supply. Given that the fresh water resources are limited, but will be needed much more in the future, ensuring access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation for everyone, everywhere, directly contributes to achieving good health and wellbeing (The World Bank, 2018).
Wastewater treatment in Hong Kong
Textile waste water
Water management
Water management requires policies and rules related to the planning, development, distribution and management of water resources for optimal use. It is forecast that by 2050 the Earth will have to feed and provide energy for 2–2.5 billion more people (Cosgrove & Loucks, 2015). To meet the nutritional needs of this additional population, we need to consider the amount of water that is consumed in the production of different goods, energy and food. Considering the increase in population and demand for drinking water, irrigation, agriculture, sanitation, and due to droughts, managing water resources constitute an important aspect for the sustainability of our planet.
