What does 'Water Security' mean?

Source: inkcinct cartoons 

The United Nations (2013) defines water security as “the capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability”.

It seems to me that everyone, everywhere should have sustainable and adequate access to a water supply however in the world we live in this is not always the case. It was not until 2010 that Vörösmarty et.al produced the first worldwide synthesis to consider both the human and biodiversity perspectives towards water security. The article concluded that 80% of the world’s population was exposed to high levels of threat to water security; this figure included both developed and developing countries. 

This means that 4.8 billion people (from the data taken in 2000) do not have sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water. 4.8 billion people are unable to sustain their livelihoods and human well-being, and additionally are subject to water-related disasters. If I’m honest, I was a little surprised by this.

Water security comes in many forms and it is not just those in remote parts of the world that appear to be suffering. The impacts on biodiversity can be greatest in developed areas, especially along river catchments. Vörösmarty et.al (2010) suggests that in order to protect these areas, developed countries must look into re-engineering existing structures. There is a socio-economic message that is also concluded in this article which developing countries are able to take away. In order to avoid the high costs that these heavily engineered water development systems have created in developed nations, a few less extensive options such as preserving river floodplains could be extremely beneficial.

With anthropogenic climate change set to further increase this level of threat, it will be down to major environmental policy and/or financial commitment from both developed and developing countries, to ensure they remain water secure and threats to biodiversity are minimized.