Sunday, February 3

One Billion People Do Not Have Access To Water

Tap withrunning water

A few random Sunday thoughts.

We take so much for granted at times. Take water for instance. I've just come across the statistic that over one billion people in the world do not have access to even a basic water supply. Just imagine that, no fresh water from the taps for drinking, cooking or bathing.

In 2010 the United Nations passed a resolution which basically said that clean drinking water is a fundamental right for everyone, But, guess what, not all countries agreed. Both the USA and the UK abstained on the grounds of what this would cost.

Privately owned water companies also disagreed. When someone put it too them that they were profiteering as water 'was a gift from God' one of the company presidents answered glibly, "Yes, but He forgot to lay the pipes."

We spend billions on wars and weapons and yet millions in the world don't have clean, drinkable water. We seem to have some skewed ideas of what is important.

Makes me wonder if water will become the new oil, where profiteering and power flourishes - let's hope not.

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10 comments:

  1. I've heard it said (somewhere), he who controls the water and food supplies, rules the world.
    Forget the weapons, lay the pipes!!
    Good post, sir.

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    1. ... and oil, of course = power, no matter who they might be or what civil rights they contravene.

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  2. There was a "joke" in my childhood where the story was a young woman was taking her grandmother on a tour through her new kitchen with all the latest appliances.
    Grandmother oohed and aahed, then she asked, "If you could only have one of these appliances, which would be the most necessary to you?"
    The granddaughter, out of respect, really gave it some thought before she answered. "The refrigerator because it keeps food fresh for a long time."
    Grandmother nodded. "That's good," she said. "But I'd take running water into my sink."

    Hot water is a bonus!

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    Replies
    1. Yes, running water is what we need, the rest is cosmetic - okay, and makes life easier.

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  3. isn't that the truth money even rules a basic like water

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    Replies
    1. Sad, but appears to be true at the present time.

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  4. Re:
    "We take so much for granted"

    You're right Mike,it usually takes a cyclone to take your electricity away for a few days,or the threat of losing water supply to your house because floods threaten to damage filtering stations that force us to see how the life we live everyday is taken for granted.

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    1. Late last year we had our water turned off for most of the day while some work was done in the road - pipe maintenance or something. We grumbled like mad, even though we had warning and had stored some water. It really is something we take for granted and expect it to always be there.

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  5. It's tragic that wars trump clean water. This is such a basic right.

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    Replies
    1. A basic right, sure is. Hope you had a good weekend away.

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