6. Clean Water and Sanitation

The focus of the global goal “Clean Water and Sanitation” is the need to ensure that people have clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene conditions. Lack of quality and adequate water supply and sanitation affects reaching other global goals such as healthcare, promoting education and reducing poverty.

The 2030 Agenda sets the target to improve water and sanitation systems to ensure access to quality drinking water and adequate wastewater treatment. Mainly, indirect measures must be taken, for example, improving water resources management, preventing pollution of water bodies with waste, chemicals and materials as well as reducing water consumption. Local and community initiative is vital to water resources management. In order to prevent pollution of waterbodies, waste recycling and safe reuse should be increased. Protection of water resources requires protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems (mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes). It is necessary to expand international cooperation in these areas, especially support to developing countries, in order to increase their capacity in developing various activities, programmes and technologies.

The goal “Ecological balance” of the Estonian sustainable development strategy emphasises the importance of access to and sustainable use of clean water.

The global goal “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” is linked in Estonia with the following clean drinking water indicators:

• Properly treated wastewater
• Water quality in public water supply
• Groundwater abstraction
• Status of surface water