United Nations_ The Secretary General of the United Nations Organization, António Guterres, affirmed today that it is time to change the way of valuing and managing hydric resources, which will allow approaching to one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). 

Drinking water and an adequate sanitation for all is the sixth point of the SDGs and is essential to achieve many other aspects of the 2030 Agenda, he assured when addressing the United Nations General Assembly.

When launching this Thursday the International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028, the Portuguese diplomat highlighted how a better access to water resources would make life easier for millions of people. 

"Safe drinking water and adequate sanitation underpin poverty reduction, economic growth and the health of ecosystems."

They also contribute to social well-being and inclusive growth. However, increasing water demands and a  poor management increase water stress in many parts of the world, he warned.

According to the projections, he said, the demand for fresh water should grow by more than 40 percent by mid-century and by 2050, at least one in four people will live in a country where the lack of fresh water will be chronic or recurrent.

At present, he continued, 40 percent of the world's population is affected by water shortages, while 80 percent of wastewater is discharged untreated into the environment and more than 90 percent of disasters are related to water.

More than two billion people lack access to drinking water and more than 4,500 million do not have adequate sanitation services, warned the UN's top representative.

In addition, many of the most serious diseases in the developing world are directly related to unsafe drinking water, poor sanitation and insufficient hygiene practices, he stressed.

In the midst of this difficult scenario, climate change is a major threat, Guterres said.

Without effective management of water resources, we have the risk of  intensifying disputes between communities and sectors and even increasing tensions between nations, he stressed.

Although there are solutions and new technologies in preparation aimed at improving the way water is managed, these options are often unaffordable for those who need them most, perpetuating inequality within and between countries, he said.

In that sense, he said, the launch of the Decade of Action for Water for Sustainable Development appears as a global call for attention.

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