Why water? Without water, we ultimately cannot survive. Beyond the importance of having clean water to drink, we also need water to develop our communities, for industry and for jobs. According to UN Water, more than 1.5 billion people worldwide work in water-related sectors. Global Water Intelligence estimates that the global water treatment and distribution market in 2016 is approximately $630 billion.
At Amec Foster Wheeler, we provide water solutions to communities and industries. With over 1,000 water specialists, we work to improve water quality and provide easier access. Around the world, we are involved with projects that create jobs while providing people with access to better water. Some of our key projects include improving resilience for water in Barbados (ranked within top 15 countries for water scarcity) and catchment and asset solutions on dams in Canada to ensure thousands of acres of agriculture can be irrigated. Learn more about our water expertise at www.amecfw.com/water
The United Nations Millennium Development Goals set a target to halve the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015. The target was met five years ahead of schedule.
We should celebrate the success that providing water has improved the lives of millions of people. But we should also recognize that for millions more, this is not the case. There is significantly more work to be done.
Everyone can participate in conserving water, thus enabling optimum use. Even small steps, such as turning the tap off while brushing your teeth or choosing to buy water efficient appliances, matter. Together, we make a difference.