Salazar 1

Erick Salazar

Period 1

Mr. Rivas

AP English Language and Composition B

24 May 2019

Clean Water: Access and Management

This planet is made up of 71 percent of water, it shouldn’t be possible for there to be a global

water crisis, right? Well the majority of our planet’s water is Salt water, undrinkable unless

boiled. We must bear in mind that it is very expensive and energy consuming to desalinate

ocean water for people in developing countries and that natural sources of water from ground

sources, precipitation, surface water, and biological sources are being depleted. We must take it

upon ourselves to manage our water wisely, to aid those in desperate need. Some causes to this

crisis are due to climate change, the lack of both natural and unnatural water infrastructure, and

the amount of water that is being wasted. Water essentially connects every single aspect of life.

Today, 1 in 9 people lack access to safe water. This can be changed, together we can work in

efforts of making the access of clean water available to all.

There is no Root Cause to this issue but instead a number of different causes leading to this

global crisis. Climate change is ​warming the planet​, making the world's hottest places even more

hotter. Due to a climate-change clouds are moving away from the equator toward the poles. This

deprives regions such as the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa and Central America of rainwater.

As populations increase and incomes grow, so does water demand. The world's population, is
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approximately at 7.5 billion, and is estimated to add 2.3 billion more people by 2050 increasing

water demand. ​Having enough water to go around isn’t the only issue but water also needs to be

transported, treated, and discharged.​ ​As stated by Jaime in the document ‘where every drop

counts’,​“One of​ the root causes is the water community’s failure to plan for maintenance of the

infrastructure in a systematic way, creating a massive drag on meeting the Millennium

Development Goal target on water and sanitation.” What Jaime states is true, and is definetly

something we must address as it is one of the root causes to this problem. Healthy ecosystems

are natural infrastructure and vital to clean, plentiful water. They filter pollutants, buffer against

floods and storms, and regulate water supply. Plants and trees are essential for replenishing

groundwater; without them, rainfall will slide across dry land, instead of seeping into the soil.

Loss of vegetation from deforestation, overgrazing and urbanization is limiting our natural

infrastructure and the benefits that it provides.

The lack of water sanitation can greatly affect one’s personal health leading to a variety of

health issues. A total of at least 3 in 10 people lack access to safely managed drinking water

services and 6 in 10 people lack access to safely managed sanitation facilities. As stated by the

United Nations,“ Water scarcity affects more than 40 percent of the global population and is

projected to rise. 4 billion people lack access to basic sanitation services, such as toilets or

latrines and at least 892 million people continue to practice open defecation. Each day, nearly

1,000 children die due to preventable water and sanitation-related diarrheal diseases.” The UN

reveals alarming facts that must be publicized to the world. The majority of people are either

unaware or just don’t care about how serious this really is. The overwhelming number of people

who lack the access to sanitary water is something we must address. As stated by John Hawes
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Humphrey in the document ​Preventing environmental enteric dysfunction through improved

water, sanitation and hygiene​, “​Es​sentially, ingested microbes set in motion two overlapping and

interacting pathways that result in linear growth impairment. Firstly, partial villous atrophy

results in a reduced absorptive surface area and loss of digestive enzymes. This in turn results in

maldigestion and malabsorption of much needed nutrients. Secondly, microbes and their

products make the gut leaky, allowing luminal contents to translocate into systemic circulation.”

Humphrey’s research gives us insight as to what exactly can occur when ingesting unsanitary

water sources. As seen in Humphreys research this will eventually suppress the growth hormone

that inhibits bone growth, leading to growth impairment, and causing further damage to the

intestinal areas worsening the problem.

​ Many people come to the misconception that developing countries just depend on the help of

other nations when in fact that is not true. While help does impact a developing country greatly,

it does not necessarily mean that the country can’t help itself. As stated by Thomas Clasen in the

report, Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage to Prevent Diarrheal Disease in Developing

Countries.“​Household water treatment and safe storage (HWTS), such as boiling, filtering, or

chlorinating water at home, have been shown to be effective in improving the microbiological

quality of drinking water. However, estimates of their protective effect against diarrhea, a major

killer, have varied widely.” This research suggests that the effectiveness of HWTS can be

optimized by ensuring that the method is microbiologically effective; making it accessible to an

exposed population; and securing their consistent and long-term use.​ Thomas Clasen research

proves that developing nations are implementing solutions. We must applaud the effort these

nations are making while struggling through this crisis. HWTS is not the only solution that
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developing nations are implementing, as stated by Koehler, “ The theory on rural water services

is advanced through a club good framework, Community handpump institutional design varies

by pump density, demand, and service, Dramatic advances in service reliability improve

community payment behavior, and Water service monitoring innovations inform a professional

maintenance model.” Koehler reveals that Community handpumps are yet another solution that

developing nations are implementing to maintain a sustainable water source. Developing nations

do not entirely depend on other nations for solutions but help does have a major impact in

solving this crisis.

Since 1990, 2.6 billion people have gained access to an “improved” drinking water source,

one that is designed to protect against contamination. But Huge inequalities persist between and

within countries; almost half of people drinking water from unprotected sources live in

sub-Saharan Africa, eight in 10 live in rural areas, and there are large gaps between the richest

and the poorest. As stated by the UN,“​Further programmatic work is needed to improve general

access to WASH, and this must be inclusive in nature to ensure that the quality of access is

equitable among people with disabilities.​” This study suggests that WASH can provide access to

clean water but, ​Further programmatic work is needed to improve general access to WASH​.

Therefore, greater use should be made of other measures, su​ch as sanitary inspections, to provide

a complementary means of assessing safety and to help identify corrective actions to prevent

water contamination. As stated by Robert Brain in the research article Fecal Contamination of

Drinking-Water in Low- and Middle-Income Countries ,“Using these methods, the authors

included 319 studies reporting on 96,737 water samples. Most studies were from sub-Saharan

Africa, southern Asia, or Latin America and the Caribbean. They found that overall, the odds
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(chance) of contamination within a given study were considerably lower for “improved” sources

than “unimproved” sources (odds ratio = 0.15). However, in 38% of 191 studies, over a quarter

of samples from improved sources contained fecal contamination. The researchers also found

that water sources in low-income countries, and rural areas were more likely to be contaminated

(both had odds ratios of 2.37).” These findings show that while water from improved sources is

less likely to contain fecal contamination than unimproved sources, they are not consistently

safe. This study also provides evidence that by equating “improved” with “safe,” the number of

people with access to a safe water source has been greatly overstated, and suggests that a large

number and proportion of the world's population use unsafe water. The findings from this study

suggest that the Global Burden of Disease 2010 may greatly underestimate diarrheal disease

burden by assuming zero risk from improved water sources and that new indicators are needed to

assess access to safe drinking water. Therefore, greater use should be made of other measures,

such as sanitary inspections, to provide a complementary means of assessing safety and to help

identify corrective actions to prevent water contamination.

Children have been at the centre of recent global efforts to improve health conditions in

developing countries. Over the last 20 years, child mortality rates worldwide have fallen

considerably, from 87 to 51 deaths per 1000 live births. Despite this progress, more than 19 000

children still die every day, many from preventable and treatable infectious diseases such as

acute respiratory infections (ARI) As stated by Bikes Bitew in the article The effect of SODIS

water treatment intervention at the household level in reducing diarrheal incidence among

children under 5 years of age, “In this trial, the overall SODIS compliance was 90.6%. The

incidence of diarrhea was 8.3 episodes/100 person-week observations in the intervention group
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compared to 15.3 episodes/100 person-week observations in the control group. A statistically

significant reduction was observed in the incidence of diarrhea in the intervention group

compared to the control (adjusted IRR 0.60 (95% CI 0.52, 0.70) with a corresponding prevention

of 40% (95% CI: 34, 48).” The SODIS intervention substantially reduced the incidence of

diarrhea among under-five children in a rural community of northwest Ethiopia. This indicates

that a SODIS intervention is an invaluable strategy that needs to be integrated with the National

Health Extension Program to be addressed to rural communities.

​ In many countries, the presence or absence of a safe and sufficient water supply and

improved sanitation facilities has a disproportionate effect on the lives of women and girls for

three main reasons. First, women and girls usually bear the responsibility for collecting water,

which is often very time-consuming and arduous. Second, women and girls are more vulnerable

to abuse and attack while walking to and using a toilet or open defecation site. And third, women

have specific hygiene needs during menstruation, pregnancy and child rearing. ​As stated by

Allen, “Actively striving for gender parity in community planning and decision-making brings a

more holistic view to water and sanitation and encourages more women to become community

leaders and water professionals. In Water For People's experience, the active participation of

women increases understanding of community water and sanitation issues and enhances

solutions to help end the global water crisis” This study reveals that the active participation of

women helps increase the understanding of the community. The need to consider gender issues

in the provision of water supplies and promotion of sanitation and hygiene in development has

been emphasised for many years . As stated by Dorice Agol in the research paper Gender

Differences Related to WASH in Schools and Educational Efficiency, “Research and

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experiences continue to show that a gender perspective in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)

is complex in nature reflecting multiple and difficult issues such as equality, vulnerability and

risks, access, rights and entitlements. Empirical work in Kenya and Tanzania has shown that lack

of access to sanitation creates an unfavourable learning environment for teenage girls due to

increased risks of menstrual leaks, discomfort and stigmatisation.” As revealed in this study, the

lack of WASH and especially, sanitation in schools is a major gender constraint and thus

ensuring adequate access by teenage girls can be a strategic step towards bridging gender

inequalities in the learning environment.

​There is no single UN entity dedicated exclusively to water issues. Over 30 UN organizations

carry out water and sanitation programmes, reflecting the fact that water issues run through all of

the UN’s main focus areas. UN-Water’s role is to coordinate so that the UN family ‘delivers as

one’ in response to water related challenges.​ As stated by the UN, “International monitoring of

drinking water and sanitation has been jointly carried out by WHO and UNICEF through their

Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP). With the end of the Millennium Development Goals

(MDGs) era in 2015, the JMP has proposed a post-2015 framework for integrated monitoring of

water and sanitation targets included in the Sustainable Development Goal no. 6.” This evidence

suggests that the United Nations has proposed in integrating the monitoring of water and

sanitation targets included in the ​Sustainable Development​ Goal no. 6. A​ dedicated goal for

water has recently been endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly as part of the

sustainable development goal (SDG) framework. This study provides an assessment of the global

costs of meeting the WASH-related targets of Goal no. 6. ​This study proves that the United

Nations is involved in helping solve the global water crisis.

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Safe drinking water is a global concern. Numerous NGOs are working tirelessly to help

communities in developing nations establish water sources. NGOs help to purify water for

parasites and dangerous waterborne illnesses. Along with this is an effort to provide sanitation

facilities for villages. This involves digging latrines, building toilets or designating places to

defecate rather than indiscriminate use of land for this purpose. NGOs help families learn about

proper sanitation. The families not only need safe water for drinking, cooking and staying

healthy, but they also need instruction and help in sanitation. Many organizations participate in

the WASH program, the collective term for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. “Training and

capacity building are long established critical components of global water, sanitation, and

hygiene (WaSH) policies, strategies, and programs. Expanding capacity building support for

WaSH in developing countries is one of the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals. There

are many training evaluation methods and tools available.” This study reveals that Expanding

capacity building support for “WaSH” in developing countries is one of the targets of the

Sustainable Development Goals.This study maps out enablers and barriers to sustaining and

scaling up HWTS practices. Interviews were carried out with 79 practitioners who had

experience with HWTS programs in over 25 countries.

​The benefits of raising awareness go far beyond helping the public understanding what

exactly The global water crisis is. When awareness is created, it helps to create more treatment

options for those who have illnesses after having drunk contaminated water. As stated by the

UN, “Civil society organizations should work to keep governments accountable, invest in water

research and development, and promote the inclusion of women, youth and indigenous

communities in water resources governance. Generating awareness of these roles and turning
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them into action will lead to win-win results and increased sustain- ability and integrity for both

human and ecological systems.” You can also get involved in the World Water Day and World

Toilet Day campaigns that aim to provide information and inspiration to take action on hygiene

issues. Taylor also states ,“​We call upon international agencies and institutions to integrate

research protocols into their response strategy, and make the necessary funding and resources

available. The results of this much needed operational research will be invaluable to informing

international WASH policy, standards and practice with the ultimate aim being, to contribute to

reducing the global burden of cholera.​”

​By 2050, global trends predict the global population to grow by 3B and global water demand

to increase by 55%. Technology innovation and expertise are crucial to helping the world

overcome these challenges. ​As stated by Loeuwin in an article regarding water usage, “​This

study assesses the state of the art for estimating and projecting water use regionally and globally

in a consistent manner. It provides an overview of different approaches, the uncertainty,

strengths and weaknesses of the various estimation methods, types of management and policy

decisions for which the current estimation methods are useful. We also discuss additional

information most needed to be able to improve water use estimates and be able to assess a

greater range of management options across the water-energy-climate nexus.​” The results of this

study also show that reducing animal products in the human diet offers the potential to save

water resources. ​Globally, water is seriously undervalued. Its price does not reflect the true, total

cost of service, from its transport via infrastructure to its treatment and disposal. This has led to

misallocation of water, and a lack of investments in infrastructure and new water technologies

that use water more efficiently.

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​ Water is unequally distributed over time and space. Much of it is wasted, polluted and

unsustainably managed. Research conducted by cosgrove states that, “Illinois as a state is

fortunate in its exceptional natural geography which provides both abundant fresh water

resources and fertile agricultural soils (Lant, 2005). As such, Illinois plays an important role in

the global water crisis as a water supplier through its exports of crops which consume vast

quantities of water.”This evidence suggests that the state Illinois is a possible solution towards

the global water crisis.Natural Infrastructure Is Being Ignored. ​Healthy ecosystems are " ​natural

infrastructure​" and vital to clean, plentiful water. They filter pollutants, buffer against floods and

storms, and regulate water supply. Plants and trees are essential for replenishing groundwater;

without them, rainfall will slide across dry land, instead of seeping into the soil. Loss of

vegetation from deforestation, overgrazing and urbanization is limiting our natural infrastructure

and the benefits that it provides. Forested watersheds around the world are under threat:

watersheds have lost up to 22 percent of their forests in the past 14 years​.

The ​nuclear plant desalinates ocean water​ using reverse osmosis and ultrafiltration. The

nuclear plant depends on the desalination plant as its sole source of fresh water, used for the

plant’s two nuclear reactors as well as all other water needs such as drinking water for its

employees and irrigation of its grounds.​ Research conducted by Rodriguez in the article Solar

thermal-powered desalination: A viable solution for a potential market states,“This paper deals

with an assessment of solar thermal-powered desalination technologies in order to identify key

issues for developing market opportunities. The topic of selecting the best solar desalination

solution is analysed, case by case, considering different scenes: i) Rural communities with

limited fresh water demand; ii) Regions with high demands of both, water and electricity and iii)
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Intermediate water demands.”This study deals with an assessment of solar thermal-powered

desalination technologies as a solution. This review aims to provide an awareness of the

projected water crisis in India, in the coming decades, and is also aimed to help the policy

makers for selecting an appropriate desalination technology.Therefore, in the modern time, solar

desalination is an emerging solution to close the water gap in the country by considering the

required change in terms of policy, financing, and regional cooperation to make this alternative

method of desalination a success.

The global water crisis is an issue that we face till this day. The public must be made aware of

the fact that natural sources of water from ground sources, precipitation, surface water, and

biological sources are being depleted in developing countries. The public must encourage the

betterment of their water management and the aid of those in need. We must help out those who

are suffering from this crisis. Water essentially connects every single aspect of life. We must all

work together in efforts of making the access of clean water available to all, for many years to

come and to finally put an end to this crisis that has persisted for too long.
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Workshop Outlines, Type Questions and give feedback to peer: Erick Salazar

1. Is there a hook? Is it effective? Provide feedback.

The hook is half way done, it’s pretty good so far, you just need to finish it

2. Is there a thesis? Is it arguable? Is it attainable?

Yes, there is a well thesis and it is in fact arguable

3. Are there topic sentences? Are they effective. Provide feedback.

There aren’t any topic sentences yet

4. Is there adequate evidence to support? Provide feedback.

Yes, there is adequate evidence to support

5. Is there a conclusion? Does it rephrase the thesis in a novel manner?

No, there is no conclusion yet, this will be one of the few things you need to work on

6. How are the structural elements of the outline? Provide feedback.

The structure of the elements in the outline is pretty organized, it starts with introduction and is

then followed by the body and its evidence.

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Works Cited

Rasul​, Managing the food, water, and energy nexus for achieving the Sustainable Development

​ pril 2016,
Goals in South Asia, A

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211464515300646 a​ ccessed

Thomas, ​Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage to Prevent Diarrheal Disease in

Developing Countries,​ March 2, 2015, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26542185

Humphrey, ​Preventing environmental enteric dysfunction through improved water, sanitation

and

hygiene: an opportunity for stunting reduction in developing countries,​ May 12, 2016,

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26542185

Bennett, Rainey, Freedman, ​Journal of water, sanitation, and hygiene for development research

article​, July 9, 2016, https://iwaponline.com/washdev

Mactaggart I, Schmidt W, Bostoen K​,

Access to water and sanitation among people with disabilities: results from cross-sectional

surveys in Bangladesh, Cameroon, India and Malawi

BMJ Open 2​ 018;​8:​e020077. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020077

Brain R, ​Fecal contamination of drinking-water in low- and middle-income countries: a

systematic review and meta-analysis,​ May 6, 2014,

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24800926

United nations, ​Water facts​, 2018, http://www.unwater.org/water-facts/

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Priyam Das, ​Women’s participation in community - Level water governance in urban India: The

Gap between motivation and ability,​ December 5, 2014,

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0305750X14001533

Wenya Lai, ​Effects of wind intermittence and fluctuation on reverse osmosis desalination

process and solution strategies,​ October 3, 2016,

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0011916416304209

Shiva Gorjian, ​Solar desalination: A sustainable solution to water crisis in Iran,​ August 4, 2015,

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032115002798

Lourdes Rodriguez, ​Solar thermal-powered desalination: A viable solution for a potential

market,​ June 1, 2018. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0011916417318374

Kara Lawrence,​ Illinois as a World Provider of Virtual Water and Advocate for Clean Water:

How Does Illinois Fit into the Global Water Crisis/Solution?,​ March 3, 2018,

https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1058&context=ppi_papers

William J. Cosgrove, ​Water management: Current and future challenges and

research directions,​ June 28, 2015

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/2014WR016869

Edema Ojomo, ​Sustainability and scale-up of household water treatment and safe storage

practices: Enablers and barriers to effective implementation,​ November 3, 2015,

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1438463915000255
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Dawn Taylor, ​The Impact of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Interventions to Control Cholera: A

Systematic Review,​ August 18, 2015,

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0135676