Water engineering for sustainable development

Abstract

The close relationship between human health and the well-being of communities with access to clean water is a determining factor for economic and societal development. Despite the human right to safe, clean drinking water and sanitation, as recognized by the United Nations in 201011, there are still major challenges to implementation, particularly in less developed countries. Currently, clean water has garnered unprecedented focus in public policy in efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19. Historically, civil and environmental engineers have played a prominent role in the design and construction of large infrastructure projects to provide clean water and adequate sanitation systems. Significant progress in water and environmental engineering in recent decades has led to the development of new and more efficient water technologies, such as advanced oxidation, adsorption, reverse osmosis, and nano- and ultra-membrane filtration, which are used in the removal of priority substances in advanced water treatment. In addition, innovations in engineering disciplines, such as aerospace, satellite technology, hydro-environmental modelling, electronic and computer engineering as well as remote sensing technologies, all contribute to identifying trends in the water cycle, which is of paramount importance for comprehensive assessment of quantitative and qualitative water-related climate change impacts.