Water Safety in Mega Cities

Paper Summary:

In this article the writer notes that in the early 21st century, the mega cities of the developing world are facing an unprecedented series of environmental pressures. These are all ultimately due to the rapidly accelerating growth and development of such urban areas, whose immense populations and industries are negatively impacting local and regional environments on a significant scale. The writer argues that, while the poor of these cities face many challenges as a result of development - from poor nutrition to poor sanitation, air pollution and housing crises, the unsafe water supplies of these cities is the most urgent problem that they face.

From the Paper:

"Scholars studying the issue of safe water supplies in the mega cities of the developing world agree that the nature of this development problem is shaped by its context. In this regard, there are two primary factors that we must consider. First, the development of the mega cities of the developing world is radically different than the development of mega cities in the developed world as in the latter case development was gradual, while in the former it is accelerated. Thus, while cities such as New York had a century to develop water systems to cope with growth, the cities of the developing world have had only a generation. Consider, for example, the fact that the population of Mexico City in 1950 was 3.1 million, and a generation later, in 1980, was 13.4 million. The second primary factor is that while in the developed world mega cities their economies grew in close parallel to the growth of the cities' populations, in the developing world this connection is far more uncertain."

Sample of Sources Used:

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• Beler-Bakal, B., Tanik, A., Gonenc, I.E.. "Water Quality in Drinking Water in the Water of a Megacity, Istanbul." Environment Management. 26.6(2000): 607-614.
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