Water policy and management in Venezuela and America Latina in articulation with the objective of development sustainable six of the 2030 Agenda (SDG6)

Abstract

Water is a vital natural resource and access to drinking water is a key indicator of human development, which ensures environmental sustainability and guarantees the health and survival of living beings. According to figures from the World Health Organization (WHO, 2005), it is estimated that 30% of the world’s population does not have access to drinking water or adequate basic sanitation services, which generates 280,000 deaths associated with water-related diseases. The United Nations (UN) points out that water allocation is currently inadequate and that by the year 2050, at least 25% of the world’s population will live in a country affected by repeated chronic shortages of freshwater. This article shows an approach to the state of the art of water policy and management in Venezuela and Latin America in articulation with the sustainable development goal six of the 2030 Agenda. In this sense, it is corroborated that quality continues to be one of the edges of the water issue that has not yet been resolved in the region. PAHO (2019) indicates that 55% of the countries in the region refer that water quality is the main problem in relation to drinking water supply. This leads to waterrelated diseases among the population, especially low-income infants under 5 years of age. On the other hand, the water problem must be understood as a whole as a system and be considered in all its aspects: supply, feeding and distribution of water, water quality and also in terms of sewage disposal and treatment, both at the basin level and at the level of distribution and storage in cities and rural areas. We believe that there will be no sustainable development without an appropriate management that guarantees a better standard of living for the population, where water as a vital resource is an undeniable and inalienable human right. Finally, it is necessary to count on the political will of our rulers, the coordination of all the entities involved, financing and investment, as well as citizen education for environmental awareness and a rational use of water resources. It is also necessary to guarantee good and efficient water governance.