World Water Day: thirsty cities

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World Water Day: thirsty cities

Background: Coping with the growing water needs of cities is one of the most pressing challenges of this century. Half of the world's population now lives in cities and it's estimated that within two decades that will increase to nearly 60% of the population, or 5 billion people. This means that a tremendous amount of water is needed, for drinking, sanitation, industry and to produce food. Ensuring reliable access to safe water supplies will make the cities of the future truly sustainable.

For this year's World Water Day on Tuesday 22 March, IUCN is joining the international community in highlighting the 2011 theme 'Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge'.

Protecting and conserving healthy watersheds is essential for many of the world's biggest cities and saves billions of dollars. For example, Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, relies on the Guatopo and Macarao rivers for its freshwater provision. Those rivers continue to supply a constant flow of freshwater to the city's 5 million inhabitants. The forests of China's Miyun watershed generate water benefits worth US $2 billion a year whilst supplying 70% of Beijing's drinking water. Healthy wetlands provide natural wastewater treatment services, such as the Nakivubo wetland in Uganda, which saves the capital city Kampala US $2 million a year in terms of sewage and treatment facilities.

ENDS

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