unhabitat

1. International Symposium on Sustainable Cities:Empowering Local Governments through Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing 26-28 September 2013, Incheon, Republic of Korea Sustaining Progress on the MDG for Access to Safe Drinking Water Dr. Kulwant SinghRegional AdvisorUrban Basic Services Branch, UN-Habitat www.unhabitat.org

2. World Population Growth (in billion)

3. Urbanization in the world URBAN POPULATION BY REGION (2005) PERCENTAGE GROWTH OF URBAN POPULATION BY REGION (2005-2020) More developed regions 29% More developed regions 7% Lessdeveloped regions 93% Less developed regions 71% • Today, one in two people on the planet is an urban dweller • Urbanization is happening mostly in developing countries (93%) • Cities are growing because of:-natural increase in urban population (50%) • - reclassification of rural areas as urban areas (25%) • - rural-to-urban migration (25%)

4. Worldwide, urban population is growing 20x faster; 57% of world’s population will be in urban areas by 2025 Share of urbanized population over total population Percentage of population urbanized

5. Regional Character of Urbanization Urban Population Percent Source: UN

6. Challenges of Rapid Urbanisation • Need for: • Adequate shelter for all • Sustainable urban development needs sustainable water and sanitation services 6

7. Cities – opportunities and challenges • General wealth • Enhance social Development • Provide employment • Incubators of innovation and creativity • Pockets of poverty • Exclusion and marginalization • Environmental degradation • Decay

8. As urbanisation intensifies cities become more important

9. The slum challenge: past, present, future 38%Slum Growth 62% World Urban Growth Unprecedented slum growth: 18 millionnew slum dwellers per year during 1990-2001 Projected growth: 27 million people a year (2005/20) Slum growth = 38% of the world’s urban growth

10. Urbanisation & Water Challenges Major water problems: Lack of access to water & sanitation Increasing water related disasters such as floods, droughts, tsunamis, windstorms, landslides, water borne diseases & epidemics Climate variability & change also affecting water resources and their management. 10

11. MDG Targets for Water & Sanitation • MDGs – Agreed by Global leaders in 2000 • Target 7c - Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without access to improved drinking water and sanitation facilities • With only 2 more years to go, there is a need to: • Review progress, • Intensify efforts and • Plan for beyond 2015

12. Water & Sanitation Coverage – Progress during 1990-2010 1.8 billion people gained access to improved sanitation during the period 1990-2010 Over 2 billion people gained access to improved drinking water during the period 1990-2010

13. PEOPLE WITHOUT IMPROVED SANITATION • An estimated, 2.5 billion people are still without improved sanitation. • In South Asia, 41%, or 692 million people still practice open defecation • Among the 2.5 billion people in the world, not using improved sanitation facilities, greatest numbers are in South Asia, but there are also large numbers in East Asia. • Between 1990-2010 number of people without improved sanitation has increased from 531 to 714 million.

14. In 2010 63 percent of global population used improved sanitation facilities

15. Regional distribution of the 2.5 billion people not using improved sanitation facilities in 2010, population (million) More than half of the 2.5 billion people without improved sanitation live in India or China

16. Four out of 10 people gaining access to improved sanitation in 1990-2010 live in China and India

17. PEOPLE WITHOUT IMPROVED SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER • More than 780 million people in the world still do not get their drinking-water from improved sources, almost all of them in developing regions. • The use of improved sources of drinking-water is high globally, with 89% of the world population and 86% of the people in developing regions getting their drinking-water from such sources.

18. In 2010 89% of global population used improved water source

19. Globally 780 million people not using improved sources of drinking-water in 2010 – Regional Distribution India, China & Bangladesh among Ten countries that are home to two thirds of the global population without an improved drinking water source

20. Almost half of world population gaining access to improved sources of drinking-water in 1990-2010 live in China and India

22. Water & Urbanisation Issues Factors Strengthened Capacity for Improved Service Delivery Climate Change Impacts Solution Strategies Advocacy, Awareness Raising, Education (HVWSHE) • Governance • Transparency • Accountability • Equity • Capacity TARGET Sustainable Urban Water Supply and Improved Environmental Sanitation in the World’s Cities Comprehensive City Planning, Integrated Urban Water and Solid Waste Management Rapidly Increasing Urban Growth Political Will Self sustaining urban environments; Resource recovery, Water Demand Management; Reduce, Reuse and Recycle User/Polluter pay Principle ($), Innovative financing Increase Budgetary Support Public Awareness Right Based Approaches, Reduce Corruption and Fraud, Community Driven Aging, deteriorated and absent infrastructure Ethics and Values Technology Finances and Investments

23. Sustainable Water Supply : Institutional Issues Urban areas of different sizes need different approaches. Trickle-down of national policies and legislation and how these work at the local level. Need for Integrated Water Resource Management. Need for Water Demand Management. Improved focus on serving the poor – Critical Role of Local Authorities. Community/Local Authority interface needing more attention. Clustering of utilities & local authority management. Closer synergy between urban infrastructure planners & urban planners. 23

24. Sustainable Water Supply: Financial Issues • Estimated investment towards the MDG targets for water supply & sanitation: $15 billion per year. • Need to raise local capital • Need to build competent, efficient, business-like & service oriented institutions. • Covering the cost of operation & maintenance a pre-requisite for sustainable service provision. • Bigger role of large & small scale private sector providers & financiers. • Flexible policy & legal frameworks for strengthening local jurisdiction and reducing financial dependence on higher tier funds.

25. Sustainable Water Supply: Other Barriers • Barriers to sustainable access of the poor to water supply & sanitation in slum areas as well as at relocation and redeveloped sites: • High levels of Non-Revenue and unaccounted for water; and • Failure to use community systems for management of water supply and sanitation assets and systems. • Development options  not responsive to the context. • Formal large-scale redevelopment initiatives obstruct participation of the poor and community based organisations. • Pitfalls in reclassifying the poor (as the poorest of the poor). • Disparities in the conditions of the poor and slum residents within medium sized and metropolitan cities, and amongst countries and regions.

26. Sustainable Water & Sanitation: Challenge for the poor • Inadequate water supply to the poor • The poor pay exorbitant rates for access to water through vendors and tankers. • Technological options like septic tanks in urban areas not appropriate solutions–both environmentally and technologically. • Monitoring of access to water supply and sanitation does not reflect the actual functional access to these services, but it does influence the commitments for investment for improving the situation.

27. Lack of information and data needed for tracking Water & Sanitation coverage access & City Planning • Data for Coverage Access or usage • Data on Urban Inequities • Data for decision making • Incorporating water & wastewater quality monitoring • Information from formal & informal sources

28. Water investment requires a holistic approach: Links between pricing, financing and stakeholders

29. Recommendations & Policy Options • The principle challenge is not so much in technological aspects but in soft components, especially: • Leadership & commitment • Need for an appropriate policy environment & legal & regulatory framework (including local government financing) • Capacity development of service providers • Innovative financing mechanisms attractive to potential investors especially to private sector

30. Access to Water for All and the Right to Water: The Backdrop for Action • Worsening Water and Sanitation in urban areas; due to rapid population growth and urbanisation : Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water; 2010 update ( WHO/UNICEF JMP) • Asia- Global Sanitation “Hot Spot” 72% of people lacking sanitation live in Asia (largest nos. in Southern Asia, followed by Eastern Asia); • Sanitation essential for ensuring Access to Water for All.

31. A Rights Based Target and Action Framework • 2010 General Assembly Resolution- A Landmark: The right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation declared a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights; • Proposed Target as agreed during Sixth WWF in Marseille : “Universal and Sustainable Access to Water and Sanitation in all Regions by 2025” • More than mere “Access”: • Sufficient and Safe water: An adequate quantity of safe water supply (acceptable quality) must be available for personal and domestic uses; • Accessible water and sanitation: Water and sanitation services and facilities functional and must be within safe physical reach; • Affordable water and sanitation: Water and sanitation must be affordable, without reducing the individuals or household’s capacity to acquire other essential goods and services; • Water availability, allocation and sustainability: Allocation of water resources must give priority to essential personal and domestic uses; Water sources must be protected against degradation and pollution to ensure safe water for present and future generations;

32. Common Misconceptions: Right to Water and Sanitation

33. Actions: What can Cities Do? Some Examples Water, Sanitation, Hygiene Education; Good Governance (Pro-poor); Participatory Monitoring including use of e-media (social/open network) Planning in Advance of growth; IWRM Promote “Closed Loop “ Systems e.g. Rain Harvesting, Waste water reuse Water Demand Management; Revolving Funds; Community Based Water and Sanitation Rehabilitation and Expansion of infrastructure Increasing Costs

34. Asian Best Examples on WASH systems Need to replicate them Cities such as Singapore have shown how water can be effectively conserved and managed

35. Asian Best examples on WASH systems Need to learn from them and replicate them Pnom Penh has a world class water authority that has received the Stockholm Industry Water Award 2010

36. Private sector can be a good partner Private Sector - a valuable partner

37. Key to address the problem of global water and sanitation lies in effective LEADERSHIP and PARTNERSHIP Source: http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/our-impact/lions-in-action/lions-in-action-archives/health_wellness_projects/clean-water.php Lions Clubs have helped bringing clean water to 120 villages in Mali “Never doubt that a small, highly committed group of individuals can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Meade

38. Messages for Local Governments • Significant Achievements: MDG relating to access to water has been achieved three years before the end period. However, most vulnerable sections particularly the urban poor, women and children are still left out. • The battle for sanitation is quite long which will need nearly trebling of the effort by the governments at national and local levels and enhancement of support by the international community • The Right to Water and Sanitation should not be misconstrued that the right entitles people to free water, allows them unlimited use of water, entitles everyone to a household connection and it entitles people to water resources in other countries.

39. Sanitation is more than building a toilet : Five Reasons to Improve Urban Sanitation • Urban Sanitation is about a chain of services • Urban sanitation must be poor-inclusive & implemented within a citywide framework : To be cost effective, urban sanitation services must be planned to serve all those who need them – rich and poor alike. • Urban sanitation cannot be tackled in isolation : It requires effective land-use control, good solid waste management and better drainage system • Urban sanitation requires a strong enabling environment Clear policy frameworks, legislation, and standards help ensure coherence and consistency among stakeholders along the service chain • Urban sanitation needs clear accountability: If the multiple service providers are to perform their essential roles, day in, day out, they must be held accountable through specific and effective accountability mechanisms.

40. Meeting the WATSANMDGs: The Way Forward • Progress in relation to access to basic sanitation in particular is insufficient to achieve the Millennium Development Goal target to halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking-water and basic sanitation. The following are the major steps to reach the goal: • Recognize the people’s right to safe drinking water and basic sanitation as a basic human right and a fundamental aspect of human security; • Accord highest priority to water and sanitation in economic development plans and agendas and to substantially increase allocation of resources to the water and sanitation sectors so as to aim at universal access to water and sanitation by 2025, through the adoption of new and innovative sanitation systems that are not as water reliant as current methods; • Improve governance, efficiency, transparency and equity in all aspects related to the management of urban water, particularly as it impacts the poor communities the most.

41. The Way Forward …. Contd. • Identification of a community of ‘good practice’ models from the urban centres in different regions and countries that have made remarkable progress in providing clean water and wastewater management services in recent years. • Think out of the water box: leaders in water supply should make the decisions on development objectives and the allocation of human and financial resources to meet them. These decisions should be made or influenced by leaders in government, the private sector and civil society. Water and sanitation should be included into national socio-economic development policies. • Mobilize finance: (a) From national budget: This requires political will and commitment to invest in water and sanitation (b) external finance: create a conducive environment (institutions, laws & regulation, governance, capacity development, transparency) to attract private finance and external aid. • Decision makers need to recognize the central role of water and sanitation for sustainable urbanization. Properly managed water resources can ensure equity and security in water and sanitation. • Harnessing local and national experiences to consolidate regional cooperation and the challenges to be overcome.