Does the human right to water mean that water should be free?
The right to water does not mean that water has to be delivered for free, but it must be affordable, as well as safe, accessible and sufficient. However, through the acceptance of a right to water, there is explicit recognition that water is a social and cultural good, as well as an economic good. This point was confirmed in CESCR’s General Comment 15. Any payment for water services must be based on the principle of equity, ensuring that these services, whether privately or publicly provided, are affordable to all, including socially disadvantaged groups. The quantity of water that should be available is not specified in the General Comment on the Right to Water. Instead, it states that water must be sufficient and continuous for personal and domestic uses, and refers to the guidelines of the World Health Organization on water requirements. Although the WHO have referred to the minimum drinking water amounts as 2 litres per day in temperate climates and 4.5 litres per day in hot climat
