Lifelong Learning in the Water Sector - Bioethical Observations

Danas, krajem druge dekade 21. stoljeća, 900 milijuna ljudi – gotovo sedmina svjetske populacije, nema pristup dovoljnim količinama higijenski ispravne vode za piće. S ubrzanim rastom stanovništva u svijetu, rastom urbanizacije, povećanom eksploatacijom šumskih površina i već prisutnim efektima klimatskih promjena ovaj problem postaje sve veći i na globalnoj razini sve je teže osigurati i održati adekvatne količine vode. Nasreću, Hrvatska je peta zemlja u Europi po zalihama pitke vode, no, nažalost, preko 50 % vode koja ulazi u vodoopskrbne sustave na putu od izvorišta do krajnjeg korisnika gubi se zbog istjecanja iz mreže. Naravno, gubitak za život i zdravlje najvažnijeg svjetskog resursa, osim bioloških, ima i značajne financijske posljedice koje se odnose na povećanje crpljenja i proizvodnje vode, kako bi se kompenzirali gubitci, što neminovno pridonosi neopravdanom povećanju cijena vode. Državna agencija Hrvatske vode prošle godine izdvojila je 100 milijuna kuna za rješavanje problema prevelikih gubitaka u vodovodima, od kojih je samo polovica utrošena, dok polovica sredstava nije iskorištena. Uzimajući u obzir bioetički kontekst problema, rad ima nekoliko zadaća: (1) naglasiti potrebu uspostave kontinuiranog cjeloživotnog obrazovanja i usavršavanja u vodnom gospodarstvu; (2) naglasiti žurnost njegove organizacije za najširu bazu srednje stručne spreme koja radi u vodnom sektoru, a koja danas nema praktički nikakve mogućnosti usavršavanja; (3) dokazati da ulaganje u skupu i naprednu opremu bez paralelnog podizanja nivoa znanja u komunalnom sektoru nije racionalno; (4) ukazati na to da cjeloživotno obrazovanje djelatnika u vodnom sektoru treba biti popraćeno adekvatnim prijevodima literature koje na svjetskim jezicima ima u izobilju; (5) raditi na edukaciji najmlađih kako bi ih se na vrijeme upoznalo s važnosti vode kao jednog od najvažnijih resursa na Zemlji; (6) ukazati da treba paralelno upoznati sve korisnike sustava vodoopskrbe, odvodnje i pročišćavanja otpadne vode o načinima štednje vode i pravilnog korištenja sustava vodoopskrbe, odvodnje i pročišćavanja otpadnih voda. Naravno, očuvanje vodnog resursa usko je povezano s podizanjem bioetičke svijesti i znanja o važnosti vode kod svih korisnika; uvjerenja smo da se samo cjeloživotnim obrazovanjem i višedimenzionalnim usavršavanjemdjelatnika koji rade u vodnom sektoru mogu postići najbolji rezultati. Rečeno nije samo ekonomski imperativ, nego prije imperativ oživljavanja skrbi za život.Today, at the end of the second decade of the 21st century, 900 million people, nearly a seventh of the world’s population, have no access to sufficient quantities of hygienically correct drinking water. With accelerated population growth in the world, as well as urban growth, increased exploitation of forest areas, and the already present effects of climate change, this problem is becoming more and more globally influential. Taking all this into consideration, it is increasingly difficult to ensure and maintain adequate water levels. Fortunately, Croatia is the wealthiest country in Europe in terms of potable water supply. However, unfortunately, over 50% of the water entering water supply systems is lost on the way from the source to the end-user, leaking out from the network. The loss of the world’s most important resource for life and health, in addition to biological, also has significant financial consequences related to increased pumping and water production to compensate for losses. All of these inevitably contribute to the unjustified increase in water prices. Last year, the Croatian State Water Agency allocated 100 million HRK for solving the problems of excessive losses in waterworks, of which only half was spent, while half of the funds were not used. Taking the bioethical context of the problem into account, this article has several tasks: (1) to emphasise the need to establish a continuous lifelong education and training in water management; (2) to emphasise the urgency of the same organisation for the widest knowledge base in the water sector, which currently has virtually no training opportunities; (3) to prove that rational investment and advanced equipment without parallel raising knowledge level in the communal sector is not rational; (4) lifelong education of employees in the water sector should be accompanied by adequate translations of the literature that is abundant in world languages; (5) to work on educating the youngest so that time introduces them to the importance of water as one of the essential resources on Earth; (6) at the same time, all users of water supply, drainage, and wastewater treatment systems should be informed about the ways of saving water and the correct use of the water supply, drainage, and wastewater systems. Of course, the preservation of water resources is closely related to raising bioethical awareness and knowledge about the importance of water to all users. We believe that only the lifelong learning and multidimensional improvement of employees working in the water sector can achieve the best results. It is not only an economic imperative but rather an imperative to revive life care