During the celebration of World Water Week (21 - 29 August), Development Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs, reaffirms the EU's commitment to meeting the Millennium Development Goal pledge of halving the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015.

In the occasion of the celebration of the World Water Week, the EU reaffirms its commitment to meeting the Millennium Development Goal, especially the pledge of halving the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015, which was pointed during the celebration of the 17th World Water Day. The Development Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs, stated that this goal is something most of Europeans take for granted, but it is time to turn the tide and make sure it now becomes a basic human right for everyone.

The Commissioner also added that from all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), access to water is one of those that is most likely to be met, because the EU aid is making a vital difference. Since 2004, more than 32 million people have gained access to improved water supply and 9.5 million to sanitation facilities thanks to support from the European Commission. Furthermore, between 2002 and 2008, aid from the EU as a whole to the water and sanitation sector almost tripled and thanks to the European Commission more than 30 countries now benefit from major projects.

Nowadays, some 1.2 billion people - nearly a fifth of the world's population – still fight to have access to safe drinking water. For that reason water and sanitation is one of the four MDGs, initiative that will have €1 billion from Europe.