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Millions of people in Asia and the Pacific could have access to clean water if leaks were plugged and water utility reforms adopted, says a new study by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). “While Asia and the Pacific is increasingly facing a major water crisis, we see unacceptable levels of water being lost through leaks and inefficiencies,” said Bindu Lohani, ADB’s Vice President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development. “By cutting the amount of lost water in half, 150 million people could be supplied with treated water.” ADB estimates that 29 billion cubic meters of water is lost each year in the region – enough to fill more than 11 million Olympic-sized swimming pools – causing Asia’s water utilities to lose more than $9 billion in revenue each year. By examining eight of the best-performing water utilities in Asia, Good Practices in Urban Water Management concludes that a low rate of unaccounted for water (UFW) is critical for ef...

Good news to hear that the United Nations and the Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) had agreed to collaborate on how to efficiently manage Asia's water resources and bolstering investments in safe and sustainable sanitation in the region. The action came at a time when many parts of Asia, particularly those far-flung areas, have to rely either on poor or undeveloped water distribution and sanitation facilities. While others subsist on the primitive method of collecting water from the ground or streams, which are believed to be exposed to bacteria and other micro-organisms. Hence, endangering human health. Aware of these negative developments, the United Nations’ Advisory Board and ADB expect that this collaboration will add value to their joint objective of helping achieve the millennium development goals related to water and sanitation in Asia,” according to the joint statement made by ADB Vice President Ursula Schaefer-Preuss and His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange, w...