Water for Sustainable Development: Example from Past to Future

Water for Sustainable Development: Example from Past to Future

SENSOY, Fatma

Freshwater is not only a finite resource that is imperative for sustainable development but also economic growth, political and social stability, human and ecosystem health, and poverty eradication. While water issues have long been on the international agenda, the debate on how to meet the growing global demand for freshwater has intensified in recent years: over 800 million people currently lack access to safe drinking water, while about 2.5 billion lack access to adequate sanitation. In response to these challenges, the World Water Forum was initiated as a platform to include water issues on the international agenda. The WWC, an international policy think-tank established in 1996, addresses global concerns over the pressures on the Earth’s freshwater resources. Besides todays global water issues,the historical example given below is a way to enlight our future by the means os usage and management of the water suplies. In XVI. Century in Istanbul there was a strong scarcity on water. The increasing population and welfare by time, the consumption of water has increased during the time. The water supply systems were not sufficient for Istanbul. The dimension of this scarcity was mentioned by Selaniki. One bottle of water was 15 akçe. Those days, a worker’s daily wage was 6 akçe. A skillled worker’s daily wage was 12 akçe. Due to these problems ; in 1554 Suleiman the Magnificient ordered his architect Sinan to supply water to the Đstanbul from the forests located on the north of the city. The grand vizier of Sultan, opposed this huge project because of its cost. The grand vizier notified that if the water comes to the city in large amounts; the Đstanbul would became to an attractive position for people from many nations and occupations.This would cause the increase in the population of the city coming aside with many other problems. Kanuni has endowed 5 villages and a town for the finance of this big investment. Kanuni mentioned that his will is “fountains should be built to every district. To the high places that, the consturction of fountain is impossible the fresh water well should be placed. By that the old people, poor women, infants can full their water caps and that they can pray for the continuity of regality. In the consensus of Istanbul given by the 5.th World Water Forum was a reflection from an event held centuries ago. The contribution of Kanuni is an event that still should enlight todays modern approaches toward the use of water. “Access to good quality water and sanitation is a basic right for all human beings and plays an essential role in life and livelihoods, the preservation of the health of the population and the fight against poverty.”

Conference or Workshop Item
PeerReviewed

2009-06

254