Water-as-a-Service® offers a blueprint for a water-secure future
Access to clean water and sanitation is considered a basic human right, yet billions of people across the world still do not have access to those services that are essential for human health and well-being. Water scarcity and pollution disproportionately affect marginalized groups— women, children, disabled people, refugees, and indigenous peoples — as well as vulnerable people from poorer communities where the cost of providing water and wastewater treatment services is prohibitive. Sustainable water management can help improve access to safe water and sanitation, protecting the rights of future generations.
Health Implications of Lack of Access
Water pollution and inadequate sanitation are inextricably linked. Poor sanitation can cause water bodies to become contaminated with fecal bacteria, which is responsible for more than 500,000 deaths every year. In poorer communities, where even healthcare facilities lack clean water, sanitation, and basic hygiene services, patients and staff are left vulnerable to infection.
While diarrheal disease is the health issue most commonly associated with water contamination, there are other risks. Parasitic blood flukes can cause diseases such as schistosomiasis (bilharzia) if their larvae penetrate the skin during bathing, washing clothes, or collecting water from an infested source.
Bilharzia symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and bloody stools or urine, and can cause a wide range of urogenital complications that result in bladder cancer and infertility. Additionally, exposure to insect vectors that transmit diseases such as dengue fever can pose a health risk.
Social Impact of Lack of Access to Clean Water
People who don’t have access to clean water often have to walk long distances in search of it. This task is usually the responsibility of women or girls, who not only risk their personal safety walking long distances but could also spend that time more productively, attending school, earning a living, growing crops, or conducting other, more meaningful tasks.
According to the United Nations, states are duty-bound to provide services considered basic human rights, including access to safe water and sanitation, to the people they serve without discriminating against any population or group. To improve access, governments must overcome discriminatory barriers while also addressing factors such as climate change, water scarcity, population growth, migration, and conflict that affect water supply and demand.
Sustainable Water Management Is Key
Sustainable water management is vital for protecting water sources and ensuring that communities have access to safe water and sanitation for years to come, thereby protecting environmental and public health.
Decentralized water and wastewater treatment solutions make it possible to provide services anywhere in the world, including to rural communities in remote, off-grid locations. Incorporating sustainable technologies such as water reuse, where wastewater is recycled for irrigation, can reduce pollution associated with effluent discharge as well as the demand on freshwater supplies. That protects freshwater sources and builds resilience to climate change and water scarcity.
Seven Seas’ Water-as-a-Service® (WaaS®) is a game changer for clean water and sanitation, especially in poorer and rural areas where funds are limited and access to basic services is scarce. WaaS® is an innovative financial solution that overcomes the challenge associated with financing a water infrastructure project.
Instead of having to find the up-front capital required to build a water treatment plant, a public entity can opt for a public-private partnership (P3) with Seven Seas, who will not only finance the construction of the plant but also handle all aspects of the project on their behalf. With a P3 contract, Seven Seas will design, build, and operate a new plant, or purchase and upgrade an existing plant, ensuring that customers receive a reliable supply of water according to the quality and quantity specified in the contract. Customers pay only for the volume of water or wastewater treated. This approach allows cash-strapped municipalities to get much-needed water infrastructure, managed by a team of water experts, without investing large amounts of capital or incurring unexpected operational expenses.
The Way Forward
Access to clean water and sanitation for all (SDG6) is essential to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as outlined by the United Nations in 2015. We must respect the human rights of all population groups regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, or other bias, ensuring that all members of society enjoy equal access to safe water and sanitation.
Seven Seas’ decentralized water management solutions and WaaS® financing alternatives are bringing clean water, sanitation, and improved hygiene services to urban and rural communities. Contact Seven Seas to learn more about our water and wastewater treatment solutions and Water-as-a-Service® financing options.
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Leslie May is the Senior Marketing Manager for both AUC Group and Seven Seas Water Group. She joined the company in 2017 after serving in various marketing roles in the oil and gas industry. Mrs. May is responsible for creating and implementing marketing strategies, developing sales copy, liaising with company stakeholders, planning events, and managing the website and social media activity. She ensures brand consistency and promotes the company and its services, targeting the correct and appropriate audiences. Mrs. May graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Studies.