Half of major cities already struggle with water shortages, UN warns

By 2030, rising demand on urban water systems is expected to intensify globally, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Water Retno Marsudi said at the Assembly of the Global Water Operators' Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA) held within the 13th session of the World Urban Forum 13.

She stressed that ensuring universal access to water and sanitation continues to be a critical global challenge, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

"In the world, 2.2 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water, and 3.5 billion people lack access to safe sanitation services," Marsudi said.

At the same time, she highlighted measurable improvements achieved over the past decade: "Since 2015, 961 million people have gained access to safe drinking water, 1.2 billion to safe sanitation, and 1.6 billion to basic hygiene services."

Marsudi further noted that rapid urban growth is placing increasing strain on water systems.

"Half of the world's 100 largest cities are already facing high levels of water scarcity. By 2030, more than 60% of the world's population will live in cities, creating additional pressure on urban water resources. In this context, water operators and utility services play a key role as the foundation of collective efforts in the water sector," she emphasized.

By Jeyhun Aghazada