The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and a group of member companies created a tool in 2007 to help companies quantify their water use and identify water risks, with the support of global organizations which maintain water and sanitation databases.
We launched the Global Water Tool into the public domain at World Water Week in Stockholm with a parody of the fight between good and evil in the movie "Star Wars," with the sincere hope that companies would find it, use it and take action.
Since the launch, the Global Water Tool has been downloaded more than 10,000 times, used by more than 300 companies to map their water risks with local conditions and take action on water. It is recognized by global reporting and water organizations as the standard for water measurement and risk identification.
The tool is free on the WBCSD website and does not require registration to use because we want even the shyest of companies to use it. CH2M HILL led the effort to develop and maintain the tool with the participation of 22 other WBCSD member companies.
Now it’s time for the sequel. We’re developing a more powerful tool with fresh and expanded datasets that employ new technology and modules for specific challenges. We’re creating this tool because while we’re winning some battles on water, old enemies persist and new ones are gaining power:
Water Supply -- An Enemy Weakened
The WHO/UNICEF joint monitoring report on Progress on Sanitation and Drinking Water was recently issued for progress through 2008. It found 5.9 billion people, or 87 percent of the world’s population, and 84 percent of the population living in the developing world now use drinking water from safer, improved sources. At current trends the world will meet or even exceed the water Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target to “halve, by 2015 the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water.”
In China, 89 percent of the population of 1.3 billion has access to drinking water from improved sources, up from 67 percent in 1990. In India, 88 percent of the population of 1.2 billion has access, as compared to 72 percent in 1990. Of course, this progress leaves far too many people still without access to improved water supply, but the progress made should encourage us that widespread supply can be achieved.
Sanitation - An Old Enemy Persists
The progress on sanitation was not as good with 2.6 billion people or 39 percent of the world’s population currently living without access to improved sanitation. At current rates of progress the world will miss the MDG sanitation target by almost 1 billion people. Inadequate sanitation has significant health impacts on people who are our customers, our supply chains, our employees and their families.
Population Growth -- A Certainty
Predicted population growth to 9 billion people by 2050 will decrease fresh water availability and strain existing water supply and sanitation systems. The population growth is predicted to be in developing countries which will also be industrializing as they improve their living standards. This will be a double demand stress on fresh water supply.
