Today, 50 % of the world's population live in urban areas. With changing demographics and massive migration into cities, the share is projected to be 60 % by 2025. Urban water and wastewater management is a serious threat in most developing countries. Most cities are unable to expand basic water services or manage growing competition among users. Given the trends in urbanisation, the need to improve water and waste management in cities is urgent. This challenge must however take impacts over a wide area into consideration, both upstream and downstream, as well as across basin and acquifer boundaries.
GWP, as part of this effort, continues to work with UN-Habitat Water Operators Partnerships and focus on managing “used water” as an essential element in overall water management.