Water and sanitation

Water and sanitation are pivotal elements of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily encapsulated in SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). This goal seeks to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030. This objective directly addresses the current global water crisis, where nearly 2.2 billion people live without access to safe water, and about 4.2 billion lack access to adequate sanitation.

By focusing on improving water quality, increasing water-use efficiency, implementing integrated water resources management at all levels, and protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems, SDG 6 addresses not only direct human needs but also the broader ecological health of the planet. Furthermore, efforts towards achieving SDG 6 indirectly promote several other SDGs.

For instance, water and sanitation are crucial to achieving SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), as clean water and proper sanitation facilities reduce the spread of water-borne diseases and significantly lower child and maternal mortality rates. Likewise, they are foundational to SDG 4 (Quality Education), given that the provision of water and sanitation facilities in schools significantly impacts the attendance and performance of students, particularly for girls.

SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) also intersects with water and sanitation, as sustainable and efficient water management is critical for agriculture, which remains the largest global water consumer. The necessity of water for food production and the potential impact of improved water management on crop yields and livestock health makes SDG 6 integral to achieving zero hunger.

SDG 6 contributes to SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) as well. Access to clean water and sanitation can enhance economic productivity by reducing time spent gathering water, reducing healthcare costs due to water-related diseases, and even creating jobs in water and sanitation services sectors.

In terms of environmental impact, the sustainable management of water resources is essential for SDG 13 (Climate Action), as water is a key factor in managing climate change due to its role in agriculture and energy production.

The water crisis in Flint, Michigan, a human made disaster of dire proportions, resulted in bacterial and lead contamination of predominantly African American and low-income residents. SDG 6 promotes to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
The use of crop evapotranspiration data has allowed the estimation of crop water requirements and consumptive groundwater use.
Elsevier,

Introduction to Industrial Energy Efficiency, Energy Auditing, Energy Management, and Policy Issues, 2020, Pages 215-226

This chapter advances SDG 7, 11 and 12 by addressing energy efficiency of heating systems, cooling systems, and hot water systems, examining measures to reduce energy use in these systems.
A cationic chelating polymer, namely biopolymer chitosan CHI with a molecular weight of 117 kDa is employed in the present study to bring about the retention of azoic dyes from its aqueous solutions by way of polymer enhanced ultrafiltration (PEUF). The effects of process parameters, namely, operating time, CHI and sodium chloride concentrations, transmembrane pressure, and pH of solution on the retention rate and permeate flux were examined.
The cost-effectiveness and reliability of waste collection services in informal settlements can be difficult to optimize given the geospatial and temporal variability of latrine use. Daily servicing to avoid overflow events is inefficient, but dynamic scheduling of latrine servicing could reduce costs by providing just-in-time servicing for latrines. This study used cellular-connected motion sensors and machine learning to dynamically predict when daily latrine servicing could be skipped with a low risk of overflow.
Figure showing the institutional structure in water resources management in Azerbaijan.
In this paper, the objective is to analyze the water management in Azerbaijan to ensure the country's water safety by improving the efficiency of water management and consumption.
This book chapter advances SDG 3 and 6 by discussing decontamination of water supply and prevention/treatment of waterborne microorganism transmission in healthcare settings.
The #SDGBookClub helps children learn about the Sustainable Development Goals. The book club presents a selection of books for children aged 5-12 on each of the goals. Check out the books that have been selected in support of Goal 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation.
Elsevier, International Journal of Educational Development, Volume 70, October 2019
This study empirically examines the effects of school toilet provision on the primary-school attendance rate in Kenya. Using over 4200 school-level observations between 2013 and 2015, the results consistently show that an increase in the school toilet availability per student significantly raises the primary school attendance rate among both boys and girls. Moreover, the effects are larger for girls than for boys, and especially for pubescent girls.
This book chapter advances SDG 3 and 6 by presenting state-of-the-art design and use of adsorbents, membranes, and UV/oxidation processes, along with the challenges that will need to be addressed to close the gap between development and implementation in water/wastewater treatment applications.

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