by Daniel Xiao Wang

Created on: March 18, 2008   Last Updated: July 12, 2010

Living in a developed nation it is hard to believe that there is anyplace in the world where people do not have access to clean, safe water. The idea that people are suffering and dying from a lack of water is unimaginable, How can this happen?

The reality is that people worldwide will only ever have enough clean, safe water to drink when developed nations become willing to take responsibility for the global community and not just their coffers.

Clean, safe drinking water is the most vital element of sustainable development that nations can possibly posses. This water can dramatically, positively affect and diminish the spread of disease, infant mortality, and even hunger.

Not to mention that the proliferation of clean, safe water will defuse already hostile situations around the world were tribal and national aggression over water already exists.

In developed nations the idea that water is not easily and readily available seems absurd. In these nations water is conveniently provided in nearly every building and taken for granted.

The very thought that in some parts of the world, in developing nations like in Africa, people fight over water is unbelievable. The only way that this will end is for developed nations to take responsibility to make it end.

The United Nations created several millennial goals back in September of 2005; all of these goals can be served, must be served, by creating sustainable clean and safe water supplies for all peoples.

These goals are:

1. To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger;

2. To achieve universal primary education;

3. To promote gender equality and empower women;

4. To reduce child mortality;

5. To improve maternal health;

6. To combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases;

7. To ensure environmental sustainability;

8. To develop a global partnership for development.

Without clean and safe drinking water none of these goals can be achieved. Therefore it is of the greatest urgency that developed nations understand the importance of encouraging and participating in sustainable development projects across the globe that will provide drinking water to all people.

When developed nations join together to commit to these millennial goals and provide the bedrock of clean and safe drinking water then all people, everywhere, worldwide will have the drinking water that they need.

When all people have access to safe, clean drinking water sustainable development and the advancement of all peoples becomes possible, but as long as developed nations care more about profit than the millennial goals that they helped establish this may never become reality. It is time, as a global community, that we took responsibility to commit to these goals and begin by providing sustainable, clean, safe drinking water.

This generation can be the one to see that all peoples across the globe have access to clean water.

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