By Mora Laiño

In the age of globalization, water can have multiple meanings depending on the interests and needs of those who mention it: a common good of nature threatened by the climate crisis, a fundamental human right that the State must guarantee, a key resource for economic and social development, a scarce good revealing social inequality, a central element of health policy during a pandemic, or a symbol of resistance against transnational extractivism.

Water, essential for sustaining life, has now become a contested issue. Recently, we read with surprise and frustration about water’s inclusion as a commodity traded on the Wall Street market, further evidence of the deep commodification of nature’s common goods. One day, water became part of financial speculation.

That is why, on World Water Day, it is essential to reflect on water as a communal, democratizing resource that must be accessible to all as a means to ensure a dignified life. In this effort, we must start by making inequalities visible.

In Argentina, as in other countries in the region, there are inequities in access to potable water between rural and urban areas. Nearly 5.3 million people lack access to potable water in their homes, and around 1 million do not have access within their property (National Census 2010). The problem is particularly severe in provinces like those in the Gran Chaco region, where 41% of households lack access to water. About 2.8% of the Argentine population must travel daily to obtain water.

Women, due to socially assigned gender roles, play a central role in unpaid domestic tasks, water provision, food preparation, and caregiving. In many cases, they also generate and manage projects within subsistence economies.

Women in households with limited access to potable water spend between 5 and 12 more hours per week on unpaid domestic and caregiving work than women in homes with reliable water access. In isolated rural areas, they are often responsible for hauling water from trucks or wells, a task that can take 4 to 6 hours daily.

This dynamic affects various areas of life: more time spent managing water and doing household chores limits women’s ability to engage in other productive activities, affecting their potential for income generation and economic independence. It also has health and hygiene implications, as the water obtained is often unsafe for consumption, crop production, or raising animals, jeopardizing food security for families. With the spread of COVID-19, this issue has worsened, as water is a critical element in maintaining sanitation.

Water as a Symbol of Struggle and Resistance

Water has historically been at the center of struggles to defend territories and natural resources against mega mining and large-scale intensive agriculture projects that use agrochemicals. Faced with threats to their livelihoods, organized community movements have emerged.

In Chubut, for example, marches have been held uninterruptedly for 18 years against mega mining, which contaminates water with toxic chemicals like cyanide. The #ChubutAguazo movement has gained public attention in recent months, showing that there is no social license for mega mining and that the consequences of these development models on natural resources, territories, and people must be debated.

Similarly, the defense of water in Mendoza has become a historic struggle. Organized in assemblies under the motto "Water is worth more than gold," the people of Mendoza prevented changes to the law protecting water from these activities.

Additionally, the debate over the need for a wetlands law to protect freshwater reserves supporting productive activities has gained traction in the public agenda, highlighting that environmental demands are also social demands.

Water as a common good is also severely threatened by the climate crisis, compounded by the impacts of the economic and health crises, deepening inequalities in access.

At EWB-Ar, we support isolated communities in Santiago del Estero through our water program by implementing systems that include building roofs to capture rainwater and cisterns for storage.

This special date calls us to collectively reflect on all the places where water is a contested resource. It also invites us to think about multisectoral spaces that allow us to share knowledge and experiences to address the issue comprehensively. Recognizing water as a common good is key to promoting equal human development.