Global Access to Clean Water: The Role of Rain Water Harvesting

Abstract

Water is the most precious natural resource that plays an important role in human life and economics. Everybody on earth requires access to clean, safe water on every day. The United Nations considers universal access to clean water a basic human right, and an essential step towards improving living standards worldwide. This resource is essential for hydration, food production as well as for the sanitation. The quantity of drinking water suffering occurs due to alarming depletion of ground water either by natural or man-made cause. Rainwater harvesting system is gaining speed over time. Areas with high rainfall can take advantages from this system which can significantly reduce the reliance on water storage dams and also will be able to distribute water to dry lands with ease. A combination of several key issues such as economic growth, political and social stability, political will, effective sectoral reform, management of demand, effective project implementation, environmental sustainability, effective information management and transfer, skills and human resources, mutual trust and dialogue within the region, and regional cooperation are required to avoid widespread water stress problems.