INTRODUCTION

The previous chapter laid out the legal foundations and content of the human right to water. Its realisation, as previously explained, depends on the availability and allocation of water resources. Ensuring vulnerable groups’ sustainable access to water for domestic purposes has several aspects in relation to water resources management which should be considered. It is often argued that providing access to those who currently do not have such access to water will increase environmental degradation and the depletion of water resources. However, as mentioned, on a global basis household consumption accounts for less than 10 percent of the overall human water use. Because of this, household consumption does not pose the biggest threat to water resources. Also, there is sufficient water to meet the basic needs of all. Even in countries where water is limited, there is still enough to meet basic needs. The issue of who obtains water and how much is not exclusively an issue of the availability of water resources. As the Human Development Report explains: ‘the scarcity at the heart of the global water crisis is rooted in power, poverty and inequality, not in physical availability’. Ensuring access to water for vulnerable groups is therefore also a question of prioritisation in allocation.

This does not mean, however, that the quality and quantity of freshwater resources should not be monitored. Additionally, the state of freshwater resources and the ecosystems which purify and replenish them are an essential element in realising the human right to water. Overuse of water and the contamination of water resources are among the challenges which cause water scarcity. This can result in people losing access to traditional water sources, simple water filtering services becoming insufficient and the depletion of water sources. All these issues make the availability of sufficient and safe water problematic. In other words, securing the right to water for those who are currently unserved and future generations demands sustainable water resources management and the prioritisation of allocating water for domestic purposes.