Chemical Technology January 2016

PETROCHEMICALS WA ER TREATMENT

Responses The dedicated goal for water and its five targets proposed by UN-Water 2014 [7] as part of the post-2015 agenda for sustainable development, are very relevant for the sustain- able use of water in the urban context. The targets provide an appropriate framework for responding to the challenges of managing water in cities. Pro-poor policies for safe water supply and sanitation Rapid urbanisation is outpacing public service provisions in the developing world and the overall number of people without access to safe water and sanitation in urban areas is increasing. The proposed target on universal access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene should stimulate action to address this critical issue. Furthermore, as the target also includes an element of progressively eliminating inequali- ties in access, it would encourage policy-makers to address the needs of the urban poor. In doing so, governments and service providers can learn from experiences of successful and innovative initiatives that focus on the needs of urban poor and create an enabling environment for service deliv- ery (Pro-poor policies in Kampala: www-wds.worldbank.org/ external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2014/02/ 24/000442464_20140224140639/). Integrated urban water management The proposed target on sustainable use and develop- ment of water resources can benefit from experiences of integrated urban water management (IUWM) systems in

various countries. IUWM calls for the alignment of urban development and basin management and brings together water supply, sanitation, and stormwater and wastewater management, and integrates these with land use planning and economic development. Implementation of IUWM will require appropriate institutional structures, policies, care- ful planning, capacity-building and investment in systems such as protection of upstream catchment areas, rainwater harvesting and recharge, water demand management and water reuse. Urban water governance The target on equitable, participatory and accountable water governance will require strong political commitment, appropriate policy and legal frameworks, effective insti- tutional structures, efficient administrative systems and capable human resources. It will also require investments in water infrastructure, renewal, operations and mainte- nance. A study estimates that one dollar of water and sewer infrastructure investment increases private output (gross domestic product) in the long-term by US$6,35 and yields a further US$2,62 output in other industries. These benefits accrue in terms of jobs created, final output and private sector investment [8]. Experiences from cities around the world have shown that it is possible to improve the performance of urban water supply systems and increase revenue and profits, while continuing to expand the system and addressing the needs of the poor, provided that there is strong leadership and good governance.

Urban poverty Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (Photo by Jonas Hansel, 2012, opendevelopment- mekong.net)

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Chemical Technology • January 2016