Sustainable Water Engineering: Theory and Practice

8 Safety Issues in Sustainable Water Management

Water is an essential resource for human and economic wellbeing. Modern society depends on a complex water infrastructure, which is vulnerable to intentional or accidental disruption due to war, intrastate violence and terrorism (Gleick, 2006).

Sustainable development is more than just protecting the environment. World Commission on Environment and Development (1987) stated that sustainable development is ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ According to IUCN, UNEP, WWF (1991), sustainability means ‘improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting ecosystems.’ According to the ICLEI (1996), sustainability means ‘development that delivers basic environmental, social and economic services to all residences of a community without threatening the viability of natural, built and social systems upon which the delivery of those systems depends.’

Protection of the environment and meeting the needs of the future generation should not jeopardize safety, health and the lives of the current generation. The sustainable health and safety idea approaches both the concept and the execution of health and safety measures from a special perspective (Rajendran, 2006).

Risks apply to all individuals irrespective of nationality or wealth. Hazards can occur anywhere if they are not properly managed. All human activities ...