Access to Safe Drinking Water

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Cameroon
Delegate Name: Kevan Farrell
School: Mattawan High School

Access to safe drinking water is a necessity to every country throughout the world. Since so many common illnesses, such as: cholera, E.coli, dysentery, typhoid fever, and many others can be carried or transmitted through water, there is a large demand for systems or methods which clean water for domestic use. Water sanitation methods can range from boiling water to elaborate water treatment plants.

Due to the fact that 40.9 percent of our population is 14 years or older, The Republic of Cameroon needs to acquire new and better methods for water sanitation to make sure we keep our youth in good health. And since we have a high risk of major infectious diseases, including food or waterborne diseases such as: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever, we would like to request to the UN and WHO that we receive funds for developing methods for the treatment and purifying of water. We would also like to receive funds for making this technology more readily accessible for every citizen in our nation. We want to be in full control of the funds we receive without outside influence because we want to make sure the funds we will receive are going to the most effective programs available to us. We also would like to receive aid in the form of immunizations and medicine which will treat the water-borne illnesses which have already infected many of our citizens. It is most urgent that we develop these methods for cleaner water and receive medication for the infected so we can improve the life expectancy and well being of our citizens.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Canada
Delegate Name: Chelsea DeBoer
School: Forest Hills Central High School

Water, as the most basic necessity for life, is needed by humans for the purposed of drinking, personal hygiene, cooking, and domestic purposes. However, the state of water-supply and sanitation services across the globe provides the World Health Organization with many areas of concern. Worldwide, approximately one billion people do not have access to improved water supply, with most of these people residing in Africa or Asia. In rural areas, access to safe drinking water is difficult to provide while extremely overcrowded urban areas have negligible coverage as well. Pesticides and untreated industry and household waste water continue to pollute surface and ground water sources. Another problem regarding the topic of access to safe drinking water is the over extraction of water for the purposes of agriculture and manufacturing, which lowers the water table, threatening the availability of water resources. Without access to safe drinking water, human health is threatened by possible diseases like malaria or schistosomiasis.

Canada’s drinking water supplies are, generally speaking, of excellent quality. The water is not naturally pure, but Health Canada works with the government in order to set guidelines for parameters that every water system should work to achieve to provide clean, safe, and reliable drinking water to the citizens. Canada’s Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality deals with microbiological, chemical, and radiological contaminants as well and physical characteristics such as taste and odor.

In order to provide the rest of the globe with safe drinking water, Canada believes in the promotion of safe water practices and technologies in lacking societies and in the continued monitoring from the Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP.) This United Nations Committee should work toward the ultimate goal of aiding and encouraging each nation to provide its people with an improved drinking water source which includes household connections, public standpipes, boreholes, protected dug wells, protected springs, and rainwater.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: China
Delegate Name: Jeffrey Stehlin
School: Royal Oak High School

The safe drinking water situation is becoming more of a pressing issue throughout the international community. While general progress has been made, China feels that further progress needs to be accomplished – internally as well as internationally. Safe drinking water is one of the most important issues faced by the international community (most notably by African and Middle Eastern countries) as it directly affects the ability for people to lead healthy, functional lives. This dependency upon water stresses the need for a fast, sustainable solution that can alleviate suffering peoples from this deteriorating situation. A lack of safe drinking water has unparalleled repercussions, stemming from an initial water scarcity to diarrhoeal diseases, trachoma, unhealthy livestock, and the devastation of other food sources. This issue is something that cannot be contained, and unless acted upon quickly will have unprecedented negative effects on the world as a whole.

The importance of this issue and the direct effect that it has on China leads China to stress the need for an immediate solution. In China, freshwater resources are inadequate and conditions are slowly deteriorating despite progress that has been made in the areas of distribution and water quality, specifically sanitation. Drinking wells have been built and coupled with an intense fight against drought from the Chinese people small progress has been made to aid China’s growing population. However, China’s population growth and its rising need for safe drinking water are outpacing the progress being made. This situation is made worse as international countries look for support in the area of safe water drinking from the Chinese Government and relief committees. While China hopes to eventually aid developing counties and provide sustainable relief systems to those suffering from unsanitary water supplies, this progress can only be made when internal water issues have first been solved.

As a leading world power, China recognizes its responsibility to aid developing countries that lack the resources to function independently, however, China would also like to be given the opportunity stabilize its’ internal problems and to receive aid from other countries and Non-Governmental Organizations, such as the United States and the World Health Organization, who have more reliable and effective means for the creation of safe drinking water. China calls upon all nations capable of distributing safe drinking water technologies internationally to do so, believing that because water is a worldwide issue that the solution should also become a communal effort, China included. The importance of this issue surpasses the tendency to operate as independent nations and China believes that in order for a sustainable, adequate solution to be achieved all countries need to communally work together towards achieving said solution, taking a vast issue and making it manageable through cooperation and a common effort.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Côte d’Ivoire
Delegate Name: Samantha Floen
School: Royal Oak High School

Côte d’Ivoire like many African nations, struggles with having an adequate supply of clean drinking water for its citizens. In large cities, such as Abidjan, bacteria such as E. coli have been found in the water that people are using for drinking. In Africa, many women with HIV/AIDS are being urged not to breast feed their baby’s. Instead they are being told to use formula, which comes as a powder and must then be mixed with water. This is to try to protect the children form getting HIV/AIDS. But when the water that is being mixed with the formula is contaminated with bacteria and diseases, we really are not making children any healthier; we are simply making them sick with something else.

In some Ivorian villages, Improved Village Hydraulic (IVH) systems have been put into place. In using these systems, women in villages maintain the local water supply. These women are trained to take care of the water, making sure it is healthy. This provides clean drinking water as well as a community role for women.

Another process Côte d’Ivoire would like to see discussed is the process of desalinization, or the process of taking salt water from the ocean, removing the salt, purifying it, and creating more fresh water that would be clean and safe for consumption. This would allow more people, not only in Côte d’Ivoire, but also the rest of Africa, as well as other parts of the world, more access to clean fresh water. The technology already exists, now we need to figure out how to put it to use.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: France
Delegate Name: Rebecca Michelson
School: Roeper School

One fifth of the world’s population does not have access to safe drinking water. Over 1.2 billion people suffer the consequences of water scarcity on the planet. The EU each year spends the equivalent of 6 billion euros on water access development programs. The East African nations, for example Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Somalia to name a few, suffer tragically from water scarcities, as do the North African nations of Egypt, Libya, and Algeria. By 2025, it is expected that two thirds of the Earth will not have access to safe water. The issue of water scarcity on our planet is one of the most severe and threatening to our civilization.

The global rate of water consumption rose more than double the rate of population between 1900 and 2000, and more than five million people die from diseases caused by unsanitary water sources. This is more than three times the number of people who die fighting wars each year. 70% of the water supply in Africa goes to agriculture. Drip irrigation is a more productive way of saving water, and more cost-efficient. The World Commission on Water, backed by the UN, has reported an additional $100 billion will be needed in the coming year to get access to safe water in Africa. This is on top of the already astronomical $60 billion necessary to fight the spread of HIV and AIDS. The conflict of funding both of these major projects creates tension among economically strong areas; unsafe water can lead to diseases like cholera, malaria, typhoid fever, dysentery, and dengue fever. The numbers of Africans infected with HIV is rising dramatically. In order for aid to be given to both of these problems, enormous amounts of funding must come from the US, Europe, and Asia.

The nation of France supports the UN in their actions toward fighting water scarcity. France encourages the ideas of the WFD (Water Framework Directive) and its tools of river basin management, intersectoral systems, and transboundary coordination. France believes providing water to areas in dire need should be the first priority, before irrigation growth and the financial incentives of these actions. Water saving measures are key to the success of this plan, as is adopting a long-term plan in addition to the necessary immediate agenda. The final important aspect to the fight against water scarcity is increased cooperation and coordination between EU members. As an area not as directly affected by lack of water, Europe is crucial to providing aid to those nations who are less fortunate economically. European nations play an essential role in getting more of the world’s population access to safe drinking water.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Germany
Delegate Name: Allison Hastings
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

Water is a necessity for all people in the world. Unfortunately, Over 900 million people cannot access clean drinking water, and 2.5 billion people do not have proper water sanitation. As a result millions die from annually diseases related to safe drinking water, most of them children. Unsafe drinking water is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.

After much effort, almost 100% of Germany’s population has access to safe drinking water within one kilometer of their homes. Germany may be safe, but much of the world is not. Germany is able and willing to help countries in need. Many aid programs are in progress now and many more are still being developed to coincide with the United Nations goal to, by 2015, halve the amount of people without access to safe drinking water.

Germany is currently preparing a 4 million Euro plan to aid the Horn of Africa. There are plans to provide relief of draught and famine in Ethiopia, containing diseases resultant from safe drinking water in Kenya, and supplying medicine and safe water in Somalia. Germany provided water purification systems and medical aid for Myanmar during the aftermath of cyclone Nargis.

Germany has also developed new water desalinization technology for the Middle East and Africa. These new desalinization plants allow undrinkable salt water to be transformed into clean, safe drinking water and are much more efficient than the previous process. They are solar powered and independently run. Germany hopes the United Nations can outline a plan to better access to safe drinking water in the Middle East and Africa. Germany is ready to aid counties without access to safe drinking water.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Greece
Delegate Name: Matthew Runk
School: Mattawan High School

Access to safe drinking water is an issue that should be at the top of every countries basic necessity list. If a country doesn't secure a plentiful source of clean fresh water for it's inhabitants, it is more than easy for the country to slip into chaos. Unsafe water leads to diseases such as dysentery, the E. coli virus, and giardia. Having proper access to safe drinking water is defined by the WHO as being within 10 kilometers of where it is being used, have enough water there to provide 20 liters per family member, meet the purity standards set by the WHO, and be available to the people. Drinking water is defined as being used for domestic purposes such as, but not limited to, drinking, cooking and personal hygiene.

Greece has dealt with it's drinking water issues by investing large sums of money in expanding and improving both it's water systems and it's sewage systems. New pipes and better methods of purification were installed along with better sewage systems. Now 98.8% of households have continuous water and 94.6% of households are connected to a sewage system.

We would propose a similar solution to other countries in need of an improved water distribution or quality system. We would also promote the use of global entities such as the United Nations to help developing countries with the construction of these systems to ensure safe water for everyone. Strong well off countries would support this solution, those countries who have enough money to enact this plan.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Guatemala
Delegate Name: Madeline Moore
School: Royal Oak High School

The condition of a country's drinking water is a determinant of its health as a whole. It is a foundation that decides whether the country thrives or suffers. About half of the developing world lacks clean drinking water. This leads to the 1.6 million deaths of citizens of developing countries each year due to diarrhoeal diseases contracted through tainted drinking water. Guatemala strongly urges the World Health Organization to assist developing nations in improving their drinking water quality.

The Republic of Guatemala struggles with supplying clean water to its citizens. This slows its development as a country and causes medical costs to rise. The system of gathering water from rivers that is currently used by its citizens also spreads diseases that could be passed on to other nations through travel or immigration. Being one of the poorest Latin American nations, Guatemala does not possess the funds to support an efficient water supply and sanitation facilities. The current system features low coverage and poor quality services, and requires an update in basic infrastructures. Guatemala wishes to implement additional gravity flow water supply systems, which prove to be efficient and reliable sources of clean water.

To implement more sophisticated water sanitation systems, Guatemala requests that developing countries receive financial aid from other nations. This money will be used as a supplement to boost Guatemala’s mainly agricultural economy and steer it down a more industrialized route, creating more jobs and increased stability. The Republic’s hope is that it will be able to become self-sufficient enough to support itself and restructure its water supply and sanitation sector. In addition, Guatemala believes that this is an acceptable solution for all developing countries, and that all developing countries should be considered for aid.

Water is a precious resource, and a clean supply of it is something that most developing countries are not wealthy enough to afford. Therefore, the Republic of Guatemala appreciates any aid that has already been put forth and any that will be offered to it in the future. The Republic looks forward to working with the WHO to improve the health of its own people as well as the people of developing nations around the world.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Iraq
Delegate Name: Keni Thomas
School: Flint Northern High School

Iraq is having a difficult time getting access to clean and safe drinking water. According to the U.N. barley 1 of 3 Iraqis have access to safe drinking water. The Iraqis are getting their water from rivers and lakes.

When the Iraqis get water from rivers lakes they are putting their life in danger. When they drink unpurified water they can get diseases like Cholera, Typhoid fever, Dysentery, Amebic dysentery, Brainerd diarrhea which is the number one killer of children under five in Iraq.

In 2003 before the the war with the U.S they were already having wter problems, ever since the war started their problems has tripled. they say iraq's new war is getting clean and safe drinking water. A mother of six said it cost her 1,000 diners for 200 liters she said thats only enough to drink but not to bathe. She said her kids go to school often without washing their face. When they look at their water that they get from the rivers and lakes it look like a asprin packet of asprin was dissolved in the water.

The U.S has been working on pumping stations to supply 10,000 people with clean water. Even though that isn’t everybody in Iraq its getting better.

Just like many other countries Iraq needs help. Iraq may not be a big huge country that can work with what they got they need their allies to help the too. They need water not just any water but clean and safe drinking water so they can live and stop getting sick from the “water-they-drink”.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Malawi
Delegate Name: Macy King
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

More then half of urban Malawians do not have access to running water. In Malawi it is common to see woman and young girls balancing water buckets on their heads in rural communities, but this ritual has recently extended to main cities. Our government has sent out information stating an improvement in water supply from 47 percent in 1992 to 75 percent in 2006 in urban areas. Although access to clean water has increased, citizens are still struggling to get by. Women spend hours in the morning collecting, boiling, and preparing water often resulting in being late for work. Few households have toilets of their own creating low sanitation standards. Nine urban settlements in Malawi were recently surveyed on individual water connections, and only a quarter of the households actually obtained this necessity to survive. Half of these individuals relied on water brought from water kiosks, while thirteen percent buy water from neighbors who have running water available to them.

Malawi views access to clean water as a necessity for a country to thrive or even get by. Our lack of clean water in rural and urban communities is halting our progress as a developing country. Malawians are struggling to get by on a day-to-day basis and are in desperate need of outreach. We ask for international recognition and support for our efforts in increasing water supply in our nation. Also, the Malawi government asks industrialized countries with an overabundance in clean water to supply funds, or at the very least supply support for our journey towards clean water. The Malawi Government asks the United Nations new program ‘Water for Life’ Decade 2005-2015 to recognize Malawi’s struggle with water supplies and aid our country with funds.

Many other developing countries, similar to Malawi, are fighting against the constant battle of lack of clean water. Malawi suggests that the countries of the UN join forces to create change and gain acknowledgement. We also suggest following through with the Water Decade with full force to supply clean water globally.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Mozambique
Delegate Name: Ben Silverman
School: Roeper School

Since 1999, Mozambique has attempted to work out its water scarcity issues with the tactic of pubic-private partnerships. We are very fortunate to have the financial aid of Portugal through a private company called Aguas de Mozambique. They have helped us gain several sources for water. Although this help is great, it is very expensive and is limited to only the largest cities of Mozambique. Even then, those cities will have limited use of water to at most 17 hours each day. After the larger cities, villages and small towns will have to pay a large amount to get water.

Safe drinking water (also referred to as potable water) is very important for all countries. Potable water is limited and yet is essential for life. It is used for sanitation and is important for treating diseases and preventing health-related problems. Drinking-water needs to be of high quality. All around the world, there is fresh-water being contaminated with pollution. Salt water is one source to look to. Although very abundant, it is very expensive to desalinate and change into fresh-water to be healthy.

Pollution is a factor to any environmental issue. Safe drinking water is not an exception. Once a source is contaminated, a very long process has to be done to clean that water. One solution to stop the pollution of water sources is the introduction of laws against pollution and then enforcement of these laws.

Mozambique has approximately 2,500 kilometers of coast line along the Indian Ocean. Therefore, there is nearly unlimited potential water for us to desalinate. If proper and inexpensive means were presented for desalinization, the results would benefit us as well as the many coastal nations throughout the entire world. For this reason, desalinization research should be another focus, and find ways to reduce the financial impact of desalinization.

Mozambique would like to work with all other nations to achieve these goals.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Netherlands
Delegate Name: Sarah Greeley
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

The country of the Netherlands is thankful to have an easy access to safe drinking water, it has never really been an issue before for this country. This country is located right on the North Sea and at has a very large coastal range. Also the Netherlands have always had an easy access to safe drinking water because fresh water flowing into the country. But the Netherlands want to do more, to help other countries in need of safe drinking water.

Water is one of the key elements in the Dutch development policy. We want to be able to help countries in Africa that have little to know access to safe drinking water, and are in serious danger from this. The Development Cooperation water program, which the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible, is in line with the Millennium Development Goals. The Millennium Development Goals is an organization that helps out with several African countries. Before their deadline for which they want to complete some of this problems or projects, the Netherlands want to give fifty million more people access to clean drinking water and improved sanitation. They would go about this by creating basic provisions such as water kiosks, latrines and wells.

Since the Netherlands has no need to help out their own safe water access, it would be the best idea to help out another country’s problems with this issue.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: New Zealand
Delegate Name: Emma Hughes
School: Ann Arbor Community High School

The World Health Organization states that “access to improved water supply is not only a fundamental need and human right, it also has considerable health and economic benefits to households and individuals.” The current situation regarding safe drinking water is potentially fatal globally. Access to safe drinking water is defined as having a source that “is less than 1 kilometer away from its place of use and that it is possible to reliably obtain at least 20 litres per member of a household per day.” Almost half the world’s population faces a scarcity of water, and currently one billion people do not have access to safe drinking water. Goal 7, Target 3 of the Millennium Development Goals is to “halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.” Since 1990, 1.6 billion people have gained access to safe drinking water, and at this rate the world is expected to meet the target. Global unity is needed to move this effort forward, for if this essential human right is not upheld, the consequences will be devastating.

New Zealand is very concerned with this matter, and believes that drinking water is a necessity for the health of all people. The Ministry of Health has developed the Drinking-water Assistance Programme, which aims to help the many small rural communities in New Zealand that have no access to safe drinking water. Included in the Drinking-water Assistance Programme is the Technical Assistance Programme, which provides technical assistance to small water suppliers. The principal target size for this programme is for suppliers serving communities with a population between 100-1000 people. This is our effort to help all of our rural citizens gain access to safe drinking water.

We urge fellow member states to work toward meeting Goal 7, Target 3 of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals in the specified time span: by 2015. The UN recommends that in order to meet the MDGs, each nation should “increase spending on water and sanitation from about 0.5 per cent to at least 1.0 per cent of GDP to ensure greatly increased access.” In addition, we encourage member states to adopt a policy similar to ours that assists water suppliers in distributing safe drinking water to rural communities.

It is essential to sustain this human right globally. New Zealand believes that this is an issue of deep concern, and that it be treated with high regard. If the MDGs are to be met, efforts from each nation must be made. If, by 2025, Target 3 of Goal 7 is not met, the results will be a world without a necessary human right, which would prove to be disastrous.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Norway
Delegate Name: Kelly Lyon
School: Mattawan High School

Norway is a developed country and has been lucky to have access to safe drinking water, so it is not a problem in our country. Norway, however, recognizes the problem in developing countries and would like to help. Norway has contributed to the UN's Millennium Development Goals of 2015; two Norwegian companies, Protan and Plastec, have created flexible containers, or reservoirs, that are made of a very thin membrane that can hold large amounts of water. In 2006, one of these containers were installed in the United Arab Emirates. The Norwegian branch of TECHNEAU (Technology Enabled Universal Access to Safe Water), has also aimed to supply safe and high quality drinking water worldwide.

Norway is a firm believer in providing safe water for other countries around the world. When Pakistan was devastated by an earthquake in 2005, Norway gave 3 million dollars worth of safe water supplies to the earthquake survivors. The donation included 50,000 emergency water filter kits, 100,00 water storage bags with zips, and 310 collapsible water tanks of various capacities. Although this was an emergency, lack of safe water around the world is seen as an emergency, too.

Norway would like to be involved in aiding developing countries with water reservoirs and new technology so that they, too, can have access to clean, safe drinking water. With the help of UN agencies, NGOs, and support from wealthier nations, Norway believes that water treatment facilities and water storage units can be implemented throughout Africa and the developing world to improve conditions and help curb water-related diseases.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Poland
Delegate Name: Rachael Gingerich
School: Saline High School

Access to safe drinking water is a top priority in Poland. As the result of poor industrial regulation, Poland's groundwater and surface water have been compromised. Compliance with EU water sanitation regulations is an important part of our government's environmental policy.

Poland is currently entered into a variety of international agreements concerning marine dumping, ship pollution, and wetland pollution. There are 18,000 waterworks within the country of Poland and 100% of the population is considered to have access to sustainable drinking water sources. However, poor regulation of the vast water sources in microbiological and physiochemical terms has lead Poland to revise its strategies on monitoring its water systems. The 118 laboratories under the structure of the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate are helping Poland in developing a better-suited water quality management program. Poland currently faces many obstacles to improving its own water quality. Low political support, weak policy, and financial lacking are all points of struggle in Polish water sanitation strategy.

Poland will strive to continue improving its local regulation standards. The elimination of Giardiasis and intestinal infections amongst its population continues to motivate better waste-management policy. The decline in heavy industry and post-communist environmental concern which has developed in the past decade will continue to heal Poland's water systems.

Poland looks to work with other EU states to improve the quality of water sources within the European region and strongly encourages the involvement of WHO in water cleanup projects both locally and in developing nations. Poland is willing to approach water scarcity and stress with an open mind, as our government views safe drinking water as precious resource for all countries.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Russia
Delegate Name: Andrew Wirth
School: Forest Hills Central High School

A sky rocketing issue in the modern globalized world is the access to clean water, even though the world is modernizing and some countries in the world are still having this issue. The Russian Federation realizes that issue can no longer be expected to be handled by the individual countries alone, but needs a global solution. If this is left unchecked by the global community we can only fear the worst to come. By allowing people across the world to not having access to safe drinking water opens the Pandora’s Box of dirty water. Dirty water is linked to Malaria, Typhus, Dysentery, and many more diseases. Water is also a resource that can be fought over by other countries. This allows for unchecked resource wars to occur and current wars to continue. The UN even agreed under international law the right to water is a basic human right. The Russian Federation believes that this right must be upheld.

The Russian Federation believes that the United Nations must use preexisting frameworks that are working for the access of clean water and make them more mainstream. Noticing current programs that working through the Latin American Health Organization could even be applicable to a global could be the perfect solution. Also, the funding for clean water treatment facilities is necessary to assure that dirty water will not be given to people in developing countries. The definition of clean water has been defined previously in other United Nations resolution and believes that we can use this as a starting point to finding a true and real solution.

Realizing that the issue for clean water may not affect as many countries as it would other problems, uniform action is necessary. The Russian Federation believes that every country would be on bored with the eradication of dirty water. One stories of hope in this tragedy is India— India has been increase the technology related towards water treatment and been trying to prevent dirty water. The Russian Federation believes that certain countries that emulate nations such as India, who are having national issues who can find a way to deal part of their problems. These countries offer key role in the hope for clean water for all. The Russian Federation believes that most, or even all, Western countries such as The United States of America, The United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, and so could support for a working paper with clean water. Finally most DRCs would most likely want and would support a working paper relating to clean water.

The Russian Federation deeply regrets that any country could appose a resolution to increase access to safe drinking water. The Russian Federation wishes not to impose its views on other nations, but hopes to urge to come to a true solution. The recognition of national sovereignty should not be violated unless any issue spills over its own borders and becomes a global issue, as outlined in the United Nations charter. Some countries feel as if a clean water program would violate of nation sovereignty, such as The Democratic People of North Korea, Sudan, and other counties that believe in their right to nation sovereignty. The Russian Federation would like to reiterate again that it does not want to or plans to force its views of the access to safe drinking water, but hopes that countries would join the cause to end a part of suffering in our own modern world.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Somalia
Delegate Name: Rachel Kovan
School: Cranbrook Kingswood

Clean water is used for many domestic purposes, some of which include cooking, drinking, and personal hygiene. More importantly, it is a necessity for survival. Over one billion people lack this safe drinking water. Each year, over 1.6 million people, mainly children, die from waterborne diseases. These waterborne diseases are due to polluted water and a lack of basic sanitation. Something must be done to stop this major cause of death.

There is very little access to clean water in the continent of Africa. Somalia is just one of the many African countries greatly affected by this problem. Due to poor hygiene and sanitation, many citizens are dying each year. The World Health Organization reported over 52,000 acute watery diarrhea (AWD) cases and 170 associated deaths throughout Somalia. Citizens are exposed to many possible outbreaks of cholera, and other contagious diseases. Also, clean water is needed to restore Somalia’s drought-affected land.

Somalia supports the United Nations program ‘Water For Life’ 2005-2015. This program deals with climate change, and its impact on drinking water and sanitation in Africa. Also, Somalia believes that the countries of the UN need to come together, and find a way to make clean water available to African countries, and all over the world. The country of Somalia asks those countries that are industrialized, and have an abundance of clean water, to support Somalia, and the other countries that do not have access to safe drinking water.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: South Korea
Delegate Name: Breanon Glover
School: Forest Hills Central High School

Water is a basic necessity for all people. The fact that some countries do not have safe drinking water for their citizens is a major problem. Also that the limited amount of fresh water is being polluted is another major issue that the WHO and every country needs to address.

South Korea is above average with its ability to supply safe drinking water to its citizens. It supplies about 92% of its citizens with safe drinking water. The struggle for South Korea is water pollution from discharge of sewage and industrial effluents. In the last six years South Korea has greatly improved this problem. Now the majority of their lakes and rivers are Class I or Class II. The improvements are beneficial and South Korea hopes to keep going on this path. With limited fresh water pollution is a big issue for not just South Korea but other countries as well.

South Korea supports many protocols and resolutions passed by the WHO and other organizations on the issue of clean water. South Korea believes the issue of pollution needs to be addressed as well as the purification process. Maintaining clean sources of water has been an issue that South Korea has addressed and succeeded in fixing. The amount of fresh water in South Korea has been a problem and needs to be looked at closer by the government of South Korea

Clean water is essential to human growth, economic growth for a country and sustainability of that country. This problem needs to be fixed through better regulations on dumping so fresh water sources are not polluted. Better monitoring of the countries fresh water sources. New technological advances in lower developed countries will also help with the purification process. Every person needs safe water to drink otherwise we risk many highly devastating diseases. South Korea is glad to work with the WHO and try to fix this problem.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Sudan
Delegate Name: Arric McLauchlan
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School

Water is a crucial part of survival. Access to safe drinking water is equally important. Areas of Africa have very limited access to this luxury, including the country of Sudan. Sudan’s biggest source of fresh water comes from the Nile River, which is polluted and dirty. There must be better solution.

Sudan’s most devastating diseases can be transferred by water. And a dirty, polluted source of water is not helping that problem at all. Access to safe drinking water and health services are among the worst in the world. Less than a third of Sudan’s ten million people have access to such facilities. Specialists speculate that by 2025, one of ever two people will live in a country that is experiencing “water stress”.

Another problem is that Africa needs to use water for irrigation. The endemic food shortages are in dire need to increase farming, but to increase farming, that would use more water from a water supply that is already scarce. Something needs to be done to provide a better source of water not only for the country of Sudan, but for Africa as a whole.

In reaction to this global crisis, The Republic of the Sudan calls on the world to come together to create safer drinking water more readily available to all of Africa, and the entire world. The cleansing of the Nile River and the distribution of water across Africa is necessary to avoid future conflicts over the control of the Nile. It is essential for peace, and it is essential for survival.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: United Kingdom
Delegate Name: Josh Cho
School: Cranbrook Kingswood

Water is one of the necessities that are often overlooked by non-governmental organizations. This aggravates the situation in Africa, where there is often a lack of clean water for the general public. Water is a huge factor for success in a country, as without water, the country’s economic success is limited to the large monopolies. With access to clean water, the mortality rate for the sick and young will decrease dramatically and the country will be able to develop structurally. In the United Kingdom, we have one of the best water systems in Europe. More than 97% of our tap water goes through sanitation systems, where we cleanse the water of harmful bacteria and other foreign objects.

We, the United Kingdom, realize that other countries are in need, and that they are in need of serious aid. Several NGOs (Non-governmental organizations), such as Bread and Water for Africa, are already taking action in countries like Kenya by providing pumps that give access to clean water in populated villages. The United Kingdom encourages any development of NGOs to help out the cause for clean water in Africa and also encourages other sources such as the World Health Organization and the United States to help seek clean water for the African nations.

The importance of having a reliable, clean source of water is immense. Polluted water can cause diseases such as E. Coli poisoning, Dysentery and Cholera, which are rather rare in countries where clean water is widely available. With the introduction of clean water, fewer children will have to haul water home from far away and therefore be able to attend school. In order to promote growth and prosperity in the African nations, access to clean water, is a must.

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: United States
Delegate Name: Ross Lacker
School: Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy

The United States of America recognizes the high priority of providing safe access to drinking water to all people. Water is the most basic necessity of life, and we are committed to increasing safe access to drinking water to all people across the world.

The United States of America is uniquely blessed in its economic prosperity and accordingly has the resources to extend both economic and scientific aid toward less fortunate nations in order to develop better access to safe drinking water. The United States of America is solemnly cognizant of the oft-dangerous situations into which the citizens of developing nations must enter in order to acquire sufficient water, and the water that these citizens retrieve is often marred by malignant pathogens that can infect unsuspecting citizens with fatal diseases.

The United States of America also recognizes the increased demand for water due to the irrigation of arid farmland and the growing world population. In response, the United States of America is one of the foremost nations in researching ecologically-friendly techniques that will address both the water shortage through more expedient recycling of pure water and the development of technologies that require less water such as drip irrigation.

It is also of critical importance that this summit address the growing problem of pollution of our freshwater sources. The United States of America has taken unprecedented measures to ensure the environmental sustainability of its practices, and we encourage other nations to use sustainable technology as a means of preserving our planet. It is important that our actions at this conference not only address the current pressing hydration needs of citizens in developing nations but also incorporate technologies that will mitigate the environmental repercussions of our actions today. We are extremely hopeful that this important summit will stimulate true progress in increasing access to and preservation of clean freshwater sources.

Respectfully Submitted,

The United States of America

Topic: Access to Safe Drinking Water
Country: Venezuela
Delegate Name: Monica Shah
School: Saline High School

Venezuela‘s water coverage is 87 percent. Water supply and sanitation in Venezuela has been extended to an increasing number of people during the 2000s, although many poor remain without access to piped water. Service quality for those with access is mixed, with water often being supplied only on an intermittent basis and most wastewater not being treated. Non-revenue water is estimated to be high at 62%, compared to the regional average of 40%. Tap water is relatively inexpensive, because of a national tariff freeze imposed in 2003 and a policy not to recover capital costs. Investments are financed primarily by the national government, with little reliance on external financing. The sector remains centralized despite a decentralization process initiated in the 1990s that has now been stalled. Within the executive, sector policies are determined by the Ministry of Environment. The national water company HIDROVEN serves about 80% of the population. The remainder is being served by five state water companies, (CVG), a few municipalities and community-based organizations. Since the early 2000s the government encouraged the creation of about 1,500 Mesas Tecnicas del Agua, which have both a technical function and a political mobilization functionhe Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was originally passed by Congress in 1974 to protect public health by regulating the nation's public drinking water supply. The law was amended in 1986 and 1996 and requires many actions to protect drinking water and its sources: rivers, lakes, reservoirs, springs, and ground water wells. (SDWA does not regulate private wells which serve fewer than 25 individuals.) For more information see:

* Laws and Statutes

SDWA authorizes the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) to set national health-based standards for drinking water to protect against both naturally-occurring and man-made contaminants that may be found in drinking water. US EPA, states, and water systems then work together to make sure that these standards are met.

Millions of Americans receive high quality drinking water every day from their public water systems, (which may be publicly or privately owned). Nonetheless, drinking water safety cannot be taken for granted. There are a number of threats to drinking water: improperly disposed of chemicals; animal wastes; pesticides; human wastes; wastes injected deep underground; and naturally-occurring substances can all contaminate drinking water. Likewise, drinking water that is not properly treated or disinfected, or which travels through an improperly maintained distribution system, may also pose a health risk.

Originally, SDWA focused primarily on treatment as the means of providing safe drinking water at the tap. The 1996 amendments greatly enhanced the existing law by recognizing source water protection, operator training, funding for water system improvements, and public information as important components of safe drinking water. This approach ensures the quality of drinking water by protecting it from source to tap.