The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covers 17 goals, the sixth of which is "Clean Water and Sanitation", namely: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all.  (Click here for details)

Under this major goal, there are eight targets, the last of which is “Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management”.

● Current Situation

About the World

Water Supply and Sanitation Are Crucial to Cities

Although the world has sufficient clean water to meet the basic needs of all individuals and families, the distribution of these resources is uneven. There are 11% of the world's population still lacking safe and available water resources. In sub Saharan Africa, the figure has grown to more than 40%. 

In addition, in densely populated areas, due to lack of appropriate sanitation facilities, water resources are being polluted, such as pollution caused by improper handling of feces. Sewage will cause serious health hazards. Diseases and injuries caused by sewage will have a real impact on education and economic activities, especially for the most vulnerable groups. Therefore, water supply and sanitation are crucial for the overall development of a city.

Text and photo source: unhabitat.org

About China

China Improving Community Participation 

Photo source:sznews.com

Community is the extension of family management. It connects with the government and is the most appropriate executive unit to improve management of water and environmental sanitation. China pays great attention to cultivation and improvement of community participation mechanism, and strives to improve clean drinking water and sanitation facilities management.

Text source: sohu.com

●  Cases

About the World

UN Initiated Environment and Personal Hygiene Fund

The United Nations virtually initiated the Environment and Personal Hygiene Fund on 17 Nov 2020, which is of great significance to the maintenance of human dignity and the improvement of health conditions in poor countries. People learn from the COVID-19 spread that how important the environmental and personal hygiene in preventing the spread of disease. At the same time, the pandemic also results in huge inequality in health facilities.

Photo source: hkstv.tv

The project plans to raise US $2 billion over the next five years to provide funding to countries with the heaviest burden and the weakest capacity to achieve the four strategic objectives of strengthening family environmental sanitation, ensuring women's menstrual health and hygiene, providing environmental and personal hygiene conditions in schools and health facilities, and supporting innovative health solutions.

Text source: news.cn

Community Water Purification Project in India

Don Bosco University in Assam India started a community managed water purification project. The Universityprovided water purification technology to communities in Assam State. The researchers have also developed an on-site water pollution detector that can detect whether the iron ion content in the water is within the range of human drinking safety standards.

Text and photo source: un.org

About China

Training for Sponge City Community

In order to promote concept of sponge city and encourage communities’ participation, the Sponge Office of Futian District Shenzhen, together with the School of Social Work of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the Nature Conservation Association (TNC), jointly launched the first training workshop of "Sponge City Community Mentors" in Shenzhen under the guidance of the sponge office. The training is based on "Environmental Ecology". The course takes rainwater garden as the theme, combines with e-steam teaching concept, understands rainwater garden around the community scene and sponge city.

Photo source: kepusz.com

Since July 2020, more than 70 social and community workers from various communities have been trained to become "Sponge City Community Mentor" in Futian District. The trained mentors brought concepts of "Sponge City" and "Rain Garden" back to their work , launched a number of popular science education projects with the "seeds" of sponge city to blossom in the community.

Text source: szft.gov.cn

Huawei 5G Application in Water Management

On 12-13 June 2020, the technical route negotiation meeting of "terminal water optimization" for buildings was held successively in Huawei headquarters and CSCEC water technology center in Shenzhen. 

Photo source: ifeng.com

The meeting was organized by Project Promotion Center of China Investment Association with its theme of "leading international water science and technology, promoting healthy China action". It aimed to apply 5G to the Healthy China Quality Water Plan, promote comprehensive improvement of healthy intelligence of building quality water and tap water direct drinking, and make an important contribution to "Healthy China".

Text source: nationwater.cn

●  Background

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Initiated by the United Nations

On 1 January, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 169 targets, of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.