COVID-19 highlights the need for clean water

Even before COVID-19 struck, the United Nations already warned against the decreasing supply for clean water. At least 2 billion people around the world are forced to drink contaminated which has led to diseases and deaths. 

In this article for the National Observer published last April 22, 2020, author Maude Barlow says that supply of clean water is a problem for the global South as well as the United States, where more than 2 million people lack running water and basic indoor plumbing. Moreover, 15 million Americans had their water lines disconnected due to their inability to pay their water bills. 

As experts have recommended hand washing as an important way to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, those who have no access to clean water, typically the same people who are economically and socially marginalized, are also the same people who are most at risk of contracting COVID-19. 

Editor’s Note: The following article shows us that the coronavirus issue is multidimensional, and must be treated as such. The spread of the coronavirus in areas without access to clean water was a serious concern that could not have been addressed by lockdowns. Aside from the need to improve water systems in countries, there is also the need to protect and restore watersheds to secure the continuous supply of clean water in homes. Again, this issue was disregarded, with countries favoring sweeping lockdowns as the solution to the coronavirus.

This article has just shown us that sometimes the solutions our governments choose to address concerns are shortsighted and limited. It highlights the reality that very few of our leaders truly understand the interconnectedness of health, the economy, the environment, and citizen well-being. This disjointed view of society has led governments to impose solutions that led to even greater problems [The lockdowns, as an example, have sacrificed long-term economic health of countries, the mental health of individuals, and the development of children. To understand better, read articles under the category Is A Lockdown Necessary?]