Research Frontiers in Water, Environment, and Human Health

Abstract

Cleaner water, better environment, and healthier life are aimed in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by securing safe water, adequate sanitation, and clean environment, which are essential for human well-being. Moreover, water is accepted as a basic human right in January 2003, with the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights’ comment No. 15. Therefore, everyone should have access to clean water for their physical health and for a healthy environment. Unfortunately, every day around one thousand children die due to preventable diseases caused by lack of water and sanitation. A key to achieving a cleaner environment is possible through an optimum sustainable integrated water resources management (OSIWRM), because water, environment, and health are interrelated and they must be taken into account holistically. Deterioration of one of these components might lead to decline of others. For example, when the environment is polluted, it increases the total nitrogen concentration in water and plants start to produce more pollen. In return, this leads to allergic diseases such as asthma, and hence, become more widespread. Moreover, climate change has clear effects on human health as well as on water availability and the environment due to increase of toxic algae in favorable climate conditions. The concentration of chemicals in water and the environment and its effects on organisms have been researched extensively. Nowadays, the relationship between environmental conditions and actions of organisms is being researched and becoming clearer. For example, investigation of the terrestrial locomotion of mummichogs and their method of navigation toward water in a terrestrial environment shows that they primarily use visual cues, specifically reflected light, to orient toward water. More research on the relationship of water, environment, and health is needed. Results of such research can help us understand the relationship and take measures of protection before the point of no return. In addition, there is some confusion in the determination of causality. If correct indicators (for example, total number, proportion, variety of grains, etc.) are not selected, results may not reflect reality and cannot demonstrate a causal relationship. Sufficient time for research projects is another crucial factor in reaching concrete results. Unfortunately, budgets define the duration of most research studies and bring a project to an early closure although it may be in the middle of observed event, or even at the beginning. On the other hand, one should use research findings to improve standards of living in the world and fight waterborne diseases such as preventable cholera, which has caused 1,678 deaths in Yemen with 0.6% fatality rate (October 2016–July 2017) and 1,098 deaths in Somalia with 1.5% fatality rate (January–July 2017). These outbreaks can be controlled and the number of deaths minimized with our existing knowledge combined with political will.