What's the problem?

• The population is growing rapidly, putting more pressure on our water supply (demand is increasing)

• The amount of water is effectively reduced by pollution and contamination (supply is decreasing)

What is involved in achieving water sustainability and water security? 

• Basic human needs for water as a top international priority.

• Water-related diseases e.g. diarrhea, malaria and typhoid need to be brought under control.

• Agricultural water needs to be efficiently used and allocated.

• Basic ecosystem water needs should be identified and met.

• Serious water-related conflicts should be resolved through formal negotiations.

Human right to Water & Sanitation

UN General Assembly

On 28 July 2010, through Resolution 64/292,

• recognized human right to water and sanitation.

• called upon States and international organisations for financial resources to provide safe, clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for all.

In the global economy, water is now treated as a tradable commodity, and privatisation of the supply is an intrinsic part of this development.

‘Irish Water’

- Irish Government has stated its intention to “move towards full cost-recovery in the provision of water services”.

- establishment of a State agency, ‘Irish Water’ as a  public utility

- centralisation of water provision in one entity would make privatisation easier.

PriceWaterhouseCoopers, who conducted an independent assessment of Ireland’s water provision in 2011, suggested that:

… once Irish Water is well established as a self-funding utility the Government and Regulators may wish to assess international experience of the introduction of competition in water and sewerage services to identify whether Ireland could benefit from competitive markets in the water sector at a later date.

Hydraulic Fracturing Water Cycle

Potential Impacts on Drinking Water Resources

• Change in the quantity of water available

• Change in drinking water quality

References• Slide 1 - ‘Water, water everywhere…. : www.bestsayingsquotes.com • Slide 2 - Water on Earth: Earth’s Water Resources in the World,

www.aid-n.com • Slide 3 - Earth’s Freshwater Resources: tmacauley.wordpress.com• Slide 4 - Water is Life: 2008 Stewardship Logo and Images.• Slide 7 - Water Security: www.amec.com• Slide 8 - Water Security potential for conflict & co-peration:

blogs.cuit.columbia.edu• Slide 9 - Defining Water Security: watergovernance.ca• Slide 11 - The Priorities for Ground-Water Management: pubs.usgs.gov • Slide 12 - Water & Sanitation: cesr.org• Slide 17 - PriceWaterhouseCoopers: Charles O’Mahony in Civil Liberties,

Environment, Poverty & Exclusion, May 6, 2013• Slide 18 - Hydraulic Fracturing Water Cycle: United States Environmental

Protection Agency• Slide 19 - How drinking water gets fracked:

http://antitraitors.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/how-drinking-water-gets-fracked.jpg

• Slide 21 - Water Use in Hydraulic Fracturing Operations: www.epa.gov• Slide 23 – Pope Francis comes out against fracking:

ralphmetznerblog.com