Access to clean water is often described as a basic human right. Therefore, some individuals believe that every household should receive water free of charge. I firmly agree with this view because, although clean water is essential for life but providing it completely free may not be practical and my view on this will be streamlined in subsequent paragraphs.
On the one hand, clean water is necessary for survival and public health. People need it for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and many daily activity. In many developing countries, lack of access to safe water leads to serious diseases such as cholera, diarhea and many more. If the government supplied clean water at no cost, it would improve people’s living conditions and reduce health problems, especially for low-income families. Furthermore, as water is a natural resource, it should be available to everyone, not only to those who can afford it.
On the other hand, making water free of cost for all households could create financial and environmental issues. The process of purifying and distributing water requires large investments in infrastructure, equipment, and maintenance. If people did not pay for water, governments would have to cover all the expenses through taxes, which could put pressure on national budgets. For example, in middle east nations they are cleaning the water from sea which is very costly process. In addition, free access might encourage water waste, especially in regions that already face shortages such as in some part of African region. Therefore, it is more reasonable to provide a limited amount of water for free and charge for extra use to promote conservation.
In conclusion, although I agree that clean water is a basic human right, making it entirely free is not a realistic solution. Governments should ensure that everyone has access to a sufficient amount of water at no cost but also encourage people to use it responsibly so wastage can be low as much as possible.