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Water-related concepts have been critically discussed in contemporary world and aggregated transdisciplinary fields around it. Water plays a crucial role in the long history of civilization and can be considered one of the essential human demands in the world. Water, as a vital resource with the components of distribution and quality, connects to environmental justice, a concept that social workers will continue to struggle with in new decades.
Within the ASTRA project, my research is trying to figure out the social structures formed around water and its management among local communities. Consequently, I get curious about the United Nations鈥� reactions to water issues as well as efforts from social work associations.

In 2015, all member states of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This Agenda calls for action to end poverty and inequality while ensuring that all people enjoy health, justice and prosperity, and environmental protection. These pursuits are reflected in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that aim to transform our world into a better future. I figure out that one of the frequent topics shown in SGDs is water related concepts, such as water quality, water access, and water security. When looking at these goals from a social work lens, water, and social sustainability are highly intercorrelated. For instance, Goals 3, 6, and 11 directly refer to water and closely link this concept with social sustainability, which I elaborate on below. Goal 3 refers to "ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all ages," which discusses the well-being concept, a prominent feature of social sustainability.
In Goal 6, which confirms "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all," the importance of social and environmental justice emerges. Studies traced back Water justice to one piece of a larger vision for environmental justice. It demands that all communities to be able to access and manage water for beneficial uses, including drinking, waste removal, cultural and spiritual practices, and recreational purposes. Goal 11, with the title "Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable," creates a link between water-related disasters and poor people in vulnerable situations. Furthermore, in the context of Goal 6, two sub-goals were stated including paying attention to the needs of women and girls in vulnerable situations and reducing the number of people suffering from water scarcity. In goal 11, the reciprocity relationship between water and social structure, has been acknowledged. These two target focus on vulnerable groups of people, the primary target groups of social workers. This discussion shows the need to be explicit about what is meant by the terms of "water security" and "water justice." Global water partnership defines "water security" as a fundamental objective in which each person has access to adequate and affordable clean water for a clean, healthy, and productive life and a guarantee for the protection and improvement of the environment.

The social work profession has articulated a commitment to environmental justice, established the obligation to pursue social justice by considering environmental justice issues in social work education and practice. With this purpose, The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) joined sixteen other organizations to form the Social Climate Leadership Group in 2020. furthermore, the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) released a supporting statement of the Climate Change Act 2022, which was passed by the Australian government in September.

The academic body of social work has also identified environmental justice as a significant social justice issue. The Committee on Environmental Justice was officially launched in February 2015 and is jointly sponsored by the CSWE Commission for Diversity and Social and Economic Justice as well as the CSWE Commission on Global Social Work Education. Besides, the ASTRA project commenced in 2021, applying the social work mission toward sustainability transition by engaging 15 early-stage researchers with more than ten universities and partner organisations.
As Cathryne Schmitz, professor in the department of social work at the University of North Carolina, explains at Greensboro, the quality of water supply decreases with the drought and water crisis. Hence, it is critical to analyze the water insecurity issue and its consequences, particularly on the poor and disadvantaged groups. Social workers need to think creatively about applying their knowledge, skills, and virtues to the water insecurity issue to bring about necessary changes in human and institutional behavior relating to water. As seen in Goal 6 of SDGs, social workers' skills are highlighted in one of the sub-goals (Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management). Therefore, community development and promoting participation are the significant responsibilities of social workers.

Understanding the critical interrelationship between water, social sustainability and social work should be considered as the foundation for social workers' action around water justice, while also need to be based on the knowledge of the water issues and social sustainability concept. It is essential for social workers, particularly for those who are interested in ecological matters, to acquire a practical knowledge of some aspects of the water issue. As it is closely linked to the social justice issue, and the international sensitivity toward water has increased. The ASTRA project is an opportunity to promote the scientific discourse about environmental and social sustainability, and I have been trying to focus on the trilogy of water, social sustainability, and social work.