IN today’s complex tapestry of global challenges, ensuring water security and sustainability stands out as one of the most pressing issues.
This precious resource is essential for life, yet two billion people around the world still lack access to safe drinking water, with 500 million of them residing in Asia alone.
In Malaysia, while almost the entire population has access to piped water, significant challenges persist, such as fragmented water governance, an infrastructure investment deficit and water tariff increases, all of which threaten the sustainability of the ecosystem.
Against the backdrop of a worsening climate crisis, the need to scale collective water action has never been more pressing. However, water cooperation offers a transformative opportunity to go beyond mere access and security, promoting peace, prosperity and sustainable development for all.
Addressing these challenges requires more than individual efforts. As we commemorate this year’s World Water Day, the theme “Leveraging Water for Peace” aptly reminds us of the value of water and the power of collaboration.
By working collectively on knowledge and capacity building, financing and innovation, we can unlock the full potential of water as a catalyst for progress.
Knowledge-sharing for capacity development
Accelerating knowledge and information sharing while building new skills is fundamental for sustainable water management. Sharing insights and experiences foster collaboration and a collective commitment to water stewardship, ensuring that we remain agile in the face of evolving challenges.
For example, cities that stand at the forefront of climate change impacts could tap into opportunities to connect and identify common needs and priorities, exchange experiences and develop adaptation and resilience strategies.
Platforms such as the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group facilitate knowledge exchange between major cities, enabling them to implement meaningful and sustainable local climate actions that ultimately aim to address the global threat of climate change.
C40’s Water Safe Cities project exemplifies this collaborative approach, bringing together cities and expert advisors to develop research and solutions for urban water-related risks.
The project leverages a broad network of public and private advisors and engages cities in exchanging best practices, ensuring informed and actionable research.
Separately, knowledge sharing can also help to spark greater awareness and communication around water issues and the centrality of water, ensuring that conversations about water extend beyond the community.
To improve the quality, accuracy and intensity of reporting and storytelling on water, the World Water Week in Communications programme was developed to empower journalists and communicators to build and exchange knowledge and skills in water reporting and communication. Running annually since 2021, the programme has reached almost 500 participants to date.
Bridging the financing gap
With water resources under severe stress, there is a growing need for public and private capital to be directed to the water sector to compensate for decades of underinvestment and prepare for future challenges.
To address water sector risks and achieve water security, the investment needed in water-related infrastructure is estimated at approximately US$6.7 trillion (RM31.5 trillion) by 2030, and US$22.6 trillion (RM106.4) by 2050.
This urgency is more acute in emerging economies, including Asia Pacific, where approximately US$198 billion per year is required between 2015 to 2030 to achieve access to safely managed water.
Closing the critical financing gap will require a multi-stakeholder approach. While governments have a key role to play in creating supportive policies, institutions and regulations to facilitate investment flows into the water sector, the private sector and other stakeholders, including multilateral or non-governmental organisations and institutional investors, can also provide financing through instruments such as loans or grants.
Additionally, collaborative opportunities in financing, such as public-private partnership models and blended finance, offer promising avenues to mobilise resources and share risks. One such example is a joint project to bring safe and affordable drinking water to Baseco in Manila by the Asia Society for Social Improvement and Sustainable Transformation and Grundfos.
Through a Grundfos Foundation Community Engagement Grant of 7,100,000 Philippine pesos (RM596,000), the community in Baseco – one of the most densely populated and largest informal settlements in the Philippine capital – received two solar-powered water filtration units, enabling more than 4,000 locals to access safe water for drinking and washing.
Accelerating innovation
Technology holds immense potential to build water resilience. Businesses are leading the way by implementing innovative and sustainable water solutions in their operations, showcasing the potential for replication and scalability of technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data management and sensor technology.
Meanwhile, businesses can also further accelerate innovation in the water sector in collaboration with other stakeholders such as governments, research institutions, fellow industry players and communities.
Recognising the advantages of working with other stakeholders in the water ecosystem, Grundfos has partnered with the Singapore Polytechnic to collaborate with staff and students in co-developing and implementing innovative, energy and water efficient smart solutions aimed at supporting industries in Singapore in their efforts to be sustainable.
As the next generation of innovators and changemakers come to the fore, investing in young talent is critical to ensure they can pioneer the future of the water sector .
The Youth Action for Sustainable Development Goal Six Fellowship, a joint initiative by Grundfos and the International Water Association (IWA), empowers Young Water Professionals (YWP) with an opportunity to contribute their voices and ideas on developing solutions.
Apart from participating in the 2023 United Nations Water Conference in New York, the 13 selected YWP also presented insights and projects to scale sustainable water management in an impactful report alongside the fifth IWA 2023 Emerging Water Leaders Forum, with Grundfos and IWA committing to support the YWP in strengthening their projects following its publication.
Building a secure and equitable water future underpins peace, prosperity and development for all. However, to unlock the full potential of water as an engine and catalyst for development and stability, collective action by all stakeholders is imperative.
By fostering the exchange of knowledge for capacity development, mobilising capital to accelerate water resilience and formulating innovative solutions to address water challenges, we can build a more water-secure and peaceful future for all.
The writer is the regional managing director at Apac – Water Utility and executive director at Grundfos Australia.
