World Water Woes

(AP)  Some of the world's richest countries - including the United States and Japan - lag behind some developing nations in making the best use of water, according to a new grading system published Wednesday.

The United States was rated the world's most wasteful user of water by the first Water Poverty Index.

Finland was ranked highest on the index, which graded 147 countries according to resources, access, capacity, use and environmental impact. The rest of the top 10 were Canada, Iceland, Norway, Guyana, Suriname, Austria, Ireland, Sweden and Switzerland.

The 10 countries at the bottom of the index were all from the Third World: Haiti, Niger, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Malawi, Djibouti, Chad, Benin, Rwanda and Burundi.

Issues raised by the index are due to be discussed in March at the World Water Forum in Japan.

"The links between poverty, social deprivation, environmental integrity, water availability and health become clearer in the (index), enabling policy makers and stakeholders to identify where problems exist and the appropriate measures to deal with their causes," said Caroline Sullivan, who led the team developing the Water Poverty Index at the Center for Ecology & Hydrology in Wallingford, England. The center is part of the British government-funded Natural Environment Research Council.

A fifth of the world's population in 30 countries faced water shortages in 2000, a figure that will rise to 30 percent of the population, in 50 countries, by 2025, according to the World Water Council based in Marseilles, France.

"Water demand is increasing three times as fast as the population growth rate even though no new water can be created anywhere on this planet," said World Water Council president Mahmoud Abu Zeid.

The Water Poverty Index assigns up to 20 points in each of its five categories, meaning a country that meets the criteria in all five categories would have a score of 100. The highest-ranking country, Finland, has a Water Poverty Index of 78 points, while Haiti rates 35.

Iceland, Ireland, Spain, Japan and Austria were rated tops in the capacity category, which defines a country's level of ability to purchase, manage and lobby for improved water, education and health.

The bottom five were Sierra Leone, Niger, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and the Central African Republic, some of the world's poorest nations.

The United States was ranked 32nd overall in the index, but last in efficiency.

"The U.S. is at a relatively low position because of wasteful or inefficient water use practices in domestic, industry and agriculture," said William Cosgrove of the World Water Council "This is illustrated by the fact that per capita water consumption is the highest in the world."

Japan ranked 34th, with a low score on environmental factors.

The World Water Council nonprofit, non-governmental organization made up of 313 members, including U.N. agencies, other NGOs, and public and private groups.


By Sue Leeman