The urgency of the needs, with a billion people lacking access to drinking water and two billion without proper sewer systems, together with the vast number of diseases that result, underscore the need to recognize such a fundamental human right. A consensus was reached at the Forum that such a right makes sense only if it is formulated in such a way that particular policymaking entities, be they water companies or local governments, face an affirmative duty to respect this right.
不久前举行的世界水资源论坛讨论了两个问题，这两个问题是决策者们在未来必须要面对的。首先是所谓的“用水权利”。10亿人缺乏饮用水、20亿人缺乏合理的污水处理系统所带来的迫切需求，再加上随之而来的大量疾病，使这项基本人权的认定变得非常重要。人们在论坛上达成一致，无论是自来水公司还是地方政府，只有当尊重这项权利成为特定决策机构的当然义务，这样的权利才有意义。