Without access to clean water and sanitation, poverty cannot be reduced. In turn construction is affected and economic growth is stagnant.
This is according to Water Authority of Fiji manager research, monitoring and evaluation Manasa Tusulu who said water-related problems were not unique to Fiji and lack of access to clean water was a global issue that was killing 800 children daily through water borne diseases.
Mr Tusulu said it was equivalent to a child dying every 90 seconds.
“Ninety per cent of water is undrinkable, that is sea water. Then we are left with three per cent of fresh water and two per cent is tied in Antarctica and its frozen,” he said.
“The world is sharing about one per cent of fresh water, this is equivalent to one teaspoon of water that the world is sharing.
“An alarming fact is that 785 million people around the world still lack drinking water, water sources are drying up and people are still drinking dirty water.
“So, the whole world is driving towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). For us it’s SDG 6, it has to do with water, clean water and sanitation for all. “Without water, poverty cannot be reduced; there will no construction and economic growth,” Mr Tusulu said.
