![WASSERFUERWASSER_WfW_Glacier](https://wfw.imgix.net/Gletschermassiv_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1361&w=1920&s=0956af9a125ce79f05f78a52d20824c4 1920w, https://wfw.imgix.net/Gletschermassiv_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1361&w=1440&s=8e8ed60bbe0673072a823c6e46c9bbbb 1440w, https://wfw.imgix.net/Gletschermassiv_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1361&w=900&s=5d725ae5ad2fa443d87ec47707df8f02 900w, https://wfw.imgix.net/Gletschermassiv_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1361&w=600&s=fa18f876aa63b74883bc04e9d0bd2937 600w)
KEY FACTOR URBANISATION
The population of cities rarely develops linearly. There are phases of intense urbanisation, sub-urbanisation and de-urbanisation as well as periods of constant population size. Many cities have undergone rapid urbanisation in the transition to industrialisation; a key factor in the development of economic prosperity, culture and innovation, but also of poverty and inequality.
Urbanisation in itself is neither good nor bad. Depending on the speed of growth or the type of economic transformation, it can bring prosperity or poverty.
Example of Lucerne
In the 19th century, Lucerne developed into a thriving city of trade and commerce. Between 1850 and 1950, the population grew from 10,000 to 60,000. At the same time, production intensified. This led to an increase in the demand for water and the discharge of polluted water into the environment. There were regular epidemics of waterborne diseases such as cholera. The urban water supplier was overwhelmed by this rapid transformation and began to expand its water supply. Initially, mainly the wealthier urban areas benefited from this. Poor areas continued to depend on wells, some of which were unsafe. It was not until the development of Lake Lucerne in the 1960s that the city was able to supply all its inhabitants with clean drinking water. After a phase of intensive sub-urbanisation until the turn of the millennium, the population of the city and the agglomeration stabilised.
![Population Growth Luzern](https://wfw.imgix.net/population_growth_Luzern_181023_072151.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=1155%2F549&w=1920&s=0d2474e1a51c9c7e6b5da98ab7a6cb3c 1155w, https://wfw.imgix.net/population_growth_Luzern_181023_072151.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=1155%2F549&w=900&s=76a5545a8747aa5d394ac4ec62bcb1dd 900w, https://wfw.imgix.net/population_growth_Luzern_181023_072151.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=1155%2F549&w=600&s=ffbc6e04f5769a3381a1b17b3b3a18cd 600w)
Global Urbanisation
The demographic transitions that Lucerne has experienced are also visible elsewhere. Yet, in a completely different context and to a completely different extent. Many cities worldwide are in the midst of intensive phases of urbanisation. Young people in particular hope for better economic prospects in the city compared to rural areas. For the first time in several years, more people live in cities than in rural areas. This trend is set to continue: 66% of the global population, over 6 billion people, are expected to live in cities by 2050.
The total number of people living in urban areas is growing by two per second worldwide. Over half of all cities suffer from water shortages.
Enormous Speed in Sub-Saharan Africa
By far the largest share of city residents is found in Asia where around 2 billion people already live in cities. In the next 30 years, however, cities in Africa will experience the greatest growth. This is on the one hand a result of large influxes from rural areas into cities and a high population growth due to a high birth rate and a slightly declining mortality rate on the other hand. In rural areas, poverty as well as access to drinking water and basic sanitation is still more precarious than in cities. Migration to urban areas consequently represents a hope for improvement for many.
![Grafik Wsup De](https://wfw.imgix.net/Grafik_WSUP_De.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=1410%2F921&w=1920&s=1ccce1d40abbcb8ce0f2f76eee6ab0a0 1410w, https://wfw.imgix.net/Grafik_WSUP_De.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=1410%2F921&w=900&s=9621c73cb8bd71683ddfd01b374612fe 900w, https://wfw.imgix.net/Grafik_WSUP_De.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=1410%2F921&w=600&s=62eb95db6ae6bfe8ab5fc0869a3860cc 600w)
![Kanyama Community Market](https://wfw.imgix.net/Community_Market_in_Kanyama_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1364&w=1920&s=f4105a1434b5bc7be1795433c2750187 1920w, https://wfw.imgix.net/Community_Market_in_Kanyama_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1364&w=1440&s=a5e546c1137f47acd996c59a81c4b855 1440w, https://wfw.imgix.net/Community_Market_in_Kanyama_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1364&w=900&s=e41fe5bf1e69ee0e953a847c5c768cbe 900w, https://wfw.imgix.net/Community_Market_in_Kanyama_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1364&w=600&s=0733560d111003af80e29e58b9dde83d 600w)
Africa's urban population is expected to grow from 400 million to 1.26 billion by 2050
By 2035, 50% of Africa's population will live in urban areas
Example of Lusaka, Zambia: Since 1990 the population has risen from 700,000 to 2.5 million people
Example of Mozambique: The nationwide urban population will increase from 8 million to 24 million people in the next 20 years
Consumer Cities instead of Production Cities
Today's urban development in Sub-Saharan Africa is different from that of Europe in the 19th or Asia in the 20th century. There has been neither a green nor a significant industrial revolution. In fact Africa seems to be skipping the phase of industrialisation. Accounting for almost 60% of African GDP in 2014, the service sector is the most important driver. The emergence of consumer cities instead of production cities means that the majority of workers are engaged in low-skilled activities in the informal services sector.
The share of the manufacturing industry of total GDP in Africa is only half as high as in other regions with the same degree of urbanisation.
Economic Water Shortage in Sub-Saharan Africa
Climate change and increased consumption of water are changing its availability and making it scarcer. At the same time, many regions in Sub-Saharan Africa are experiencing economic water shortages. The challenge therefore lies primarily the distribution of water, not the procurement. However, local water suppliers often lack the financial means for the necessary expansion of the infrastructure as well as sufficiently trained personnel at the management and craftsman level. They are also dependent on long-term economic viability in order to guarantee the maintenance of the infrastructure. As a result, water suppliers are often reluctant to make major investments in new infrastructure in poorer urban areas. The inequality felt by large sections of society is thus exacerbated.
Municipal water utilities must be economically viable in order to cushion the huge influx of immigrants in the long term. As a consequence, they often hesitate to invest in the poorest areas of the city. Inequalities are thus further exacerbated.
Consequences of Inadequate Water Supply and Sanitation
Many cities are unable to cope with the high level of immigration. Growth is often deregulated. Informal neighbourhoods are created with inadequate infrastructure for drinking water, sewage, sanitary facilities or drainage. As a result, local residents have only a limited amount of water at their disposal, have to walk long distances to procure it or buy it for a high price. Pit latrines are often built and later replaced by new latrines instead of maintained and emptied. The infrastructural deficiencies lead to problems especially during the rainy rainy season. Holes fill up and become unsafe, open latrines are under water. This leads to a devastating cycle: insufficiently treated drinking water is contaminated by pathogens. People come into contact with the pathogens and become ill as they use water every day. Due to inadequate sanitary facilities, these pathogens get into the soil via faecal matter and thus into groundwater and drinking water. As a result, waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever spread. This situation has a far-reaching impact on the health and dignity of those affected and considerably reduces social development.
![G7A4015Tiff](https://wfw.imgix.net/trinkwasser_wasserverschmutzung_wasser_f%C3%BCr_wasser_wfw.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1366&w=1920&s=6a5eb40093fda9f81f7341f82a5627be 1920w, https://wfw.imgix.net/trinkwasser_wasserverschmutzung_wasser_f%C3%BCr_wasser_wfw.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1366&w=1440&s=76516188dfeaacbfc2452ab2da6def23 1440w, https://wfw.imgix.net/trinkwasser_wasserverschmutzung_wasser_f%C3%BCr_wasser_wfw.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1366&w=900&s=5e788e63a9b72fcb0c7189e4e32334a2 900w, https://wfw.imgix.net/trinkwasser_wasserverschmutzung_wasser_f%C3%BCr_wasser_wfw.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1366&w=600&s=a6ee38c4206fd362039a09c2d2a3927d 600w)
Growing informal settlements
Worldwide, over 1 Billion people live in informal settlements with lacking sanitation and access to clean water.
The City as a Perspective
Understandably, urban water suppliers cannot keep pace with the enormous increase in demand. Targeted measures are therefore needed to strengthen the institutions. Because safe access to water and basic sanitation is the basis of all social development. Successfully improving the access points for everyone and tapping into the great potential of the urban population will open up the possibility of creating a secure basis for a more dignified life for millions of people. After all, cities make an important contribution to the structural transformation of an economy by shifting economic resources from areas of low productivity such as traditional agriculture to areas of higher productivity such as manufacturing. As a result, they are always catalysts for innovation and prosperity.
![New Water Kiosk Linda2](https://wfw.imgix.net/Grosse_Nachfrage_am_Wasserkiosk_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1364&w=1920&s=55956d1a18d65a5fa45dc9b857413404 1920w, https://wfw.imgix.net/Grosse_Nachfrage_am_Wasserkiosk_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1364&w=1440&s=4c95381dd530d517a4ed80768dbbd9f7 1440w, https://wfw.imgix.net/Grosse_Nachfrage_am_Wasserkiosk_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1364&w=900&s=756bcd7299312be5c8e8e049324c9910 900w, https://wfw.imgix.net/Grosse_Nachfrage_am_Wasserkiosk_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1364&w=600&s=a475d480aa988130942b488db6811d29 600w)
Water Kiosk System
The system of water kiosks offers water suppliers the opportunity to expand their services into fast-growing urban areas on a financially sustainable basis.
KEEP BROWSING
![WASSERFUERWASSER_WfW_Glacier](https://wfw.imgix.net/Gletschermassiv_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1361&w=1920&s=0956af9a125ce79f05f78a52d20824c4 1920w, https://wfw.imgix.net/Gletschermassiv_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1361&w=1440&s=8e8ed60bbe0673072a823c6e46c9bbbb 1440w, https://wfw.imgix.net/Gletschermassiv_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1361&w=900&s=5d725ae5ad2fa443d87ec47707df8f02 900w, https://wfw.imgix.net/Gletschermassiv_WASSER_F%C3%9CR_WASSER_WfW.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1361&w=600&s=fa18f876aa63b74883bc04e9d0bd2937 600w)
![202102 Bauarbeiten Gondwe Etter Lior 08](https://wfw.imgix.net/202102_Bauarbeiten_Gondwe_Etter_Lior_08.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=6000%2F4000&w=1920&s=e145eb79f395aac5aa36b0e862e5d699 1920w, https://wfw.imgix.net/202102_Bauarbeiten_Gondwe_Etter_Lior_08.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=6000%2F4000&w=1440&s=e7904fa8694f40ceae4f75fae7062d82 1440w, https://wfw.imgix.net/202102_Bauarbeiten_Gondwe_Etter_Lior_08.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=6000%2F4000&w=900&s=8fc91c3b44fb234ab1eb70d12238bd41 900w, https://wfw.imgix.net/202102_Bauarbeiten_Gondwe_Etter_Lior_08.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=6000%2F4000&w=600&s=ee651cf2ab4651778554dd30b1750740 600w)
PROJECTS ZAMBIA & MOZAMBIQUE
![Lara7527](https://wfw.imgix.net/lucernewater_lara_dickenmann_wasser_f%C3%BCr_wasser_wfw.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1342&w=1920&s=3ade92e0e07cb728fb022fbab3d0b1d2 1920w, https://wfw.imgix.net/lucernewater_lara_dickenmann_wasser_f%C3%BCr_wasser_wfw.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1342&w=1440&s=4714f9e5626e98e1cc9ce627af94587a 1440w, https://wfw.imgix.net/lucernewater_lara_dickenmann_wasser_f%C3%BCr_wasser_wfw.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1342&w=900&s=85339080145593148226fb1abb8a2239 900w, https://wfw.imgix.net/lucernewater_lara_dickenmann_wasser_f%C3%BCr_wasser_wfw.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1342&w=600&s=dc6a6f99bf620b24be70c554270e2031 600w)
lucernewater.ch
SUPPORT WfW
![202311 ZKS Workshop Berufswelt Monique Wittwer 059](https://wfw.imgix.net/202311_ZKS-Workshop-Berufswelt-Monique-Wittwer-059.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1366&w=1920&s=353b0d6bd13402cbf1e85cf7ea9eab19 1920w, https://wfw.imgix.net/202311_ZKS-Workshop-Berufswelt-Monique-Wittwer-059.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1366&w=1440&s=eb2055eb2b1a79a25370bfd24078a3a1 1440w, https://wfw.imgix.net/202311_ZKS-Workshop-Berufswelt-Monique-Wittwer-059.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1366&w=900&s=e20bb2f7b076aa50dddec7312c66d51a 900w, https://wfw.imgix.net/202311_ZKS-Workshop-Berufswelt-Monique-Wittwer-059.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&fm=jpg&q=75&ratio=2048%2F1366&w=600&s=01bd961255e626077cc56c52d3fa77a0 600w)
EVERY CONTRIBUTION MATTERS.
No credit card? Support WfW now via TWINT.