The economic development of the last hundred years has helped the humanity to make incredible achievements in public health, including the control of infectious diseases, safer and healthier foods as well as mothers and babies in good health. However, these achievements not only depend on medical innovations in treatment and therapy, but also are contingent on the eradication of traditional environmental risks, such as poor water quality. Nevertheless, key policy actors do not address water quality and sanitation adequately.

 

Mostly, the international community pay attention to those disease and health threats that seem more likely to get the attention of the donors, like malaria or HIV. However, improvements in Water and Sanitation can influence significantly the public health of a population. Evidence shows that poor water and sanitation contributes to the prevalence of diarrheal diseases, which is the second leading cause of death in children under five years old. As if this were not enough, WASH replicates existing gender inequalities. Since the rape risk is high, young women have to spend more time than men in seeking a safe place to defecate.

 

Natural disasters may affect the spread of water-related-diseases. For instance, without a holistic approach (one that includes behaviour change intervention and the development of WASH infrastructure), cholera is likely to become endemic, with major risks for the social development in the Global South.

 

Obviously, this is not an easy task. Behaviour change interventions need time to be implemented successfully. Moreover, the construction of a London-like water & sanitation system is expensive and not sustainable in an age of water scarcity. When solutions are available, like eco-friendly toilets and Bill Gates-sponsored recycling machine, they are not culturally appropriate.

 

After decades of underinvestment in the WASH sector, some governments have started establishing Public Private Partnerships in order to improve sanitary services. However, this is not enough. Partnerships must include the affected members in the policy-making phase. Think of the World Bank and Dfid funded City Water experience in Dar el Salaam, where most of the needs of local people where ignored. The population had to deal with unaffordable bills. Finally, they turned back to unsafe water supplies.

So, what ought to be done?

 

Advocacy. Both at the highest and lowest level of decision-making, we must emphasize the relevance of sanitary problem for the future of globe.

Inclusion. Affected members must be key actors in the development of WASH infrastructures.

Sustainability. WASH needs to be enhanced in a sustainable and women-empowering way.

Communication. WASH must overcome academic debates in order to mobilise people across the world.

 

Advocacy, inclusion, sustainability and communication must be key words in the debate about WASH. In front of an ever-increasing population and vis-à-vis water scarcity, the way we use and consume water has to be adjusted in order to make everyone’s life healthier.