ABOUT 827.6 million people around the world live in slums, lacking safe water and sanitation facilities, and putting the people at risk of cholera, malaria and diarrhea. From those facts, the Philippine Daily Star in Manila discussed in an editorial the problems over lack of safe drinking water, sanitation and other woes that go along with the increasing urban population across the world. Excerpts: An estimated 493 million people share sanitation facilities, up from 259 million in 1990, according to data gathered by the United Nations. These figures are expected to soar as an average of five million people join the urban population in the developing world every month. That's an average of two individuals per second, with the fastest growth expected in Asia and Africa where the urban population is seen to double between 2000 and 2030. Developing countries account for about 95 percent of the global growth in urban population. It is the first time in human history, according to the UN, that 3.3 billion people – the bulk of the global population – live in urban areas, with 38 percent of the growth recorded in slums. Infrastructure, basic services and resources in developing countries cannot meet the needs of the booming population, including the most basic: safe water. As World Water Day was observed Tuesday, activities marking the event focused on the impact of runaway urban population growth on water systems and sanitation facilities. The problem is aggravated by conflicts, natural disasters, climate change and industrialization. The problem is evident in Metro Manila and other urban centers in the Philippines, where people drink water straight from the tap at their own risk, and where many households use waterways as giant septic tanks. In Metro Manila communities still not served by the two main water concessionaires, fresh water that isn't even safe to drink unless it has passed through a home filter system can cost several thousand pesos a month, for a few hours of service every other day. March 22, 1993 was designated as the first World Water Day by the UN General Assembly. Since then efforts to provide safe water have been overwhelmed by rapid population growth particularly in cities. World Water Day 2011 should remind governments about the urgent need for sustainable urban water management. __
