Water, the essence of life, is a symbol of equity, sustainability, and the fight against systemic disparities. Understanding water justice is not just about access to clean water; on a larger scale, it is about acknowledging the profound impact of water on marginalised communities and the environment as a whole. On World Water Day we come together to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.
Water justice is not something that we hear about much in the UK but it emphasises that access to clean and safe water is a fundamental human right. Unfortunately, this basic necessity is not universally enjoyed, even in the UK, vulnerable communities disproportionately bear the brunt of water pollution, scarcity, and inadequate infrastructure.
According to research by Sylvester and Mdee (2023), water poverty means that some families struggle to afford their water bills, causing financial and social problems. This issue started to become more serious in England and Wales in the 1990s, especially after the water industry was privatised, as the industry has been seen to prioritise business interests and profit over customer well-being, public health and the environment. Even though laws were put in place to stop companies from disconnecting households, the root problems of unfair pricing and affordability for vulnerable families were not fixed and continue to be a problem today.
Read full blog here. This blog was originally written for and published for the Environmental Law Foundation.
Renee Karunungan 