Water: a scarce and poorly managed resource

On March 22, 1992, the United Nations established World Water Day , a date that recalls the efforts of several international entities to raise awareness about this essential resource for planet Earth and human survival.

One of the main challenges related to water in the world is inequality in access to this vital resource: according to data from the United Nations World Water Development Report , around 2.2 billion people in the world do not have access to drinking water (around 25% of the world's population) and more than 4.2 billion (more than 50% of the world's population) live without access to basic sanitation services.

The lack of access to safe drinking water has dramatic consequences worldwide, with around 2 million deaths attributed to this problem each year, especially among children under the age of 5 in developing countries. The inequality in access is also shocking: in countries where there is a water shortage, such as in Africa, the average individual consumption is between ten and fifteen litres of water per day; in New York, a single person uses around two thousand litres of water per day.

Another major problem related to water is the inadequate and criminal management of the resource . Pollution, especially industrial and agricultural pollution , contaminates rivers, lakes and aquifers around the world, making many water sources unfit for human consumption. This inadequate management also affects food production: agriculture is responsible for around 70% of water consumption (while only 6% is for domestic consumption), but unfortunately it often resorts to excessive irrigation, which leads to soil degradation and reduced water quality.

To address all these challenges, it is necessary to implement policies and practices that ensure equitable access to water and contribute to the sustainable management of this resource . Organizations such as the UN and the World Bank have several action plans to serve as a guide for the implementation of water conservation and management policies , which include not only investments in water and sanitation infrastructure, but also education and awareness about responsible use.