Natural water treatment systems for safe and sustainable water supply in the Indian context - Saph Pani

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Abstract

Water is a precondition for human, animal and plant life on Earth. Deforestation, pollution, over-exploitation of water resources, damage to aquatic ecosystems, climate change and security issues are challenging the sustainability of water systems. In parallel, population increase, economic development, urbanization, and land use or natural geomorphic changes also challenge the sustainability of resources by decreasing water supply or increasing demand. Still too many people around the world do not have access to safe drinking water or basic sanitation. At the same time, three billion people will join the global consumer class over the next two decades, accelerating the degradation of natural resources and escalating competition for them. If we continue business as usual, global demand for water will exceed viable resources by 40 percent by 2030. In this context, access to safe drinking water and sanitation, integrated water management, including water efficiency, can clearly contribute to manage the challenges of climate change water scarcity and global equality. Water is also an indispensable resource for the economy and has a high strategic and economic importance. Water crisis have been recognized as the 1st highest risk that could undermine economic growth according to the 2015 Global Risk Report of the World Economic Forum. Research and innovation plays an important role in providing solutions to major water challenges. Over the past decades, EU research funding has Framework Programme dedicated over EUR 1 billion to water research and Horizon 2020 will continue to support fundamental and applied research to address this complex and cross-cutting societal challenge. Water is also a very important area for international research cooperation with non-EU countries for promoting sustainable development in the context of the on-going Sustainable Development Goals discussion. (...)