The Water Crisis
In September 2015, Heads of State and Government agreed to set the world on a path towards sustainable development through the adoption of 17 goals. These 17 goals, known as Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs are tackling very diverse issues from social, economic, and environmental dilemmas the world is facing today. The United Nations decided that these goals must be completed by 2030, the goals provide a framework for shared action across the globe with, these goals being implemented by all countries and all stakeholders acting in a collaborative partnership. With 169 targets accompanying the 17 goals forming a cohesive and integrated ecosystem that will reshape the world from slowly rusting away into a prosperous garden ready to bloom.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals is comprised of many challenges one of which is Clean Water and Sanitation affecting billions of people. As of 2017, 2.2 billion people face water deficiency, and 4.4 billion people lack access to safe drinking water. Imagine not having safe and easy access to tap water, this accommodation is something a lot of us take for granted, with most of us not even questioning what came out of our tap was safe to drink. For 3 billion people around the world lack even basic personal hygiene facilities, which in this pandemic has become more, important than ever, and by 2030 if we don’t resolve this problem from spreading, then 700 million people will be displaced due to water scarcity.
With such a dire situation on hand, the UN has already formed partnerships and is checking off objectives from its to-do list. With the UN launching an accelerated framework making this goal more of a priority, multiple countries like Canada and Tajikstan deciding to implement the accelerated framework. The UN’s new partnership with Conservation International aims to solve the longstanding challenge of providing access to safe and affordable drinking water but, we are still more than 50% behind on completing these objectives. Even if we adopt the accelerated framework, we will still not be able to accomplish all 8 targets that the UN has set.
Knowing how revolutionary this technology will be, it will also take a lot of time to perfect this technology and even more time to roll out this technique on a global scale. So to take a more domestic and affordable approach is by using 3D printing membrane reducing the cost and enhancing sustainability. The finished product will be barely distinguishable from water taken straight from a river, completely unfiltered. So to get rid of that problem, we could 3D print filters that are not just more affordable than traditional production methods but are made with a filter size smaller than any other product in the market. With the advances in nano printing, we would make it affordable for remote communities living in poverty but make it the best filter on the market.
These Sustainable Development Goals are allowing the world to transform into an equal and flourishing planet. knowing that we still have a lot of progress to make to reach perfection, starting with clean water and sanitation. As we are still more than 50% behind schedule, but with the advances in technology, we still have hope from a genetically modified microbe that will revolutionize desalination to a 3D printed nano filter.
