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Chapter 1

Introduction to Water Systems

The right to water is an implicit part of the right to an adequate standard of living and
the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, both of
which are protected by the United Nations’ International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights, which was established in 1976. However, some countries
continue to deny the legitimacy of this right. In light of this fact and because of the
widespread noncompliance of states with their obligations regarding the right to water,
the United Nations’ Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights confirmed
and further defined the right to water in its General Comment No. 15 in 2002. The
comment clearly states that the right to water emanates from and is indispensable for
an adequate standard of living as it is one of the most fundamental conditions for
survival:
The human right to water entitles everyone to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically
accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic uses. An adequate
amount of safe water is necessary to prevent death from dehydration, reduce the risk
of water-related disease and provide for consumption, cooking, personal and do-
mestic hygienic requirements.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1.1 billion people (17% of the
global population) lack access to safe drinking water, meaning that they have to revert to
unprotected wells or springs, canals, lakes, or rivers to fetch water; 2.6 billion people lack
adequate sanitation; and 1.8 million people die every year from diarrheal diseases, includ-
ing 90% of children under age 5. This situation is no longer bearable. To meet the WHO’s
Water for Life Decade (2005–2015), an additional 260,000 people per day need to gain ac-
cess to improved water sources.
In 2004 about 3.5 billion people worldwide (54% of the global population) had access
to piped water supply through house connections. Another 1.3 billion (20%) had access to
safe water through other means than house connections, including standpipes, “water
kiosks,” protected springs, and protected wells.
In the United States 95% of the population that is served by community water systems
receives drinking water that meets all applicable health-based drinking water standards
through effective treatment and source water protection. In 2007, approximately 156,000
U.S. public drinking water systems served more than 306 million people. Each of these
systems regularly supplied drinking water to at least 25 people or 15 service connections.
Beyond their common purpose, the 156,000 systems vary widely. Table 1.1 groups water
systems into categories that show their similarities and differences. For example, the table
shows that most people in the United States (286 million) get their water from a community

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