A/68/264 V. Conclusion and recommendations 85. Water contamination has a significant impact on the realization of human rights, including the human right to water, but also the rights to health, food and a healthy environment, among many others. Human rights principles and standards are relevant beyond the context of water and sanitation service delivery and need to be integrated into discussions on water and wastewater management at all levels. 86. The technical solutions for improving wastewater management, curbing pollution and improving water quality exist — the greater challenge is a lack of political will to make wastewater management and pollution control a priority. However, while the challenges are manifold, the benefits of improving wastewater management are even bigger. 87. In line with recommendations: this, the Special Rapporteur offers the following (a) States must develop a holistic approach to curbing pollution and improving water quality that addresses the different sources of contamination, including sewage, sludge and septage, that covers all sectors, including households, agriculture and industry, and that combines the dimensions of prevention, management and reuse; (b) States must prioritize access to sanitation for everyone, but efforts need to go beyond achieving access aimed at improving wastewater management. States must meet their obligation to protect individuals from abuses to their human rights through contamination by others; (c) States must prioritize addressing the most urgent and serious forms of contamination that vary among and within countries. They must reverse patterns of exclusion and address the situation of the most disadvantaged, who often experience the worst impact of water contamination; (d) States must urgently address the aggravated challenges of contamination and lack of access to services in informal settlements. The lack of formal land tenure must not exclude people from enjoying their human rights; (e) States should develop contextualized approaches that promote context-specific appropriate policies, facilities and financing mechanisms. The human rights framework does not promote a sewerage plus sewage treatment model under all circumstances. States have an obligation to progressively realize human rights, inter alia, through the adoption of a wastewater ladder approach. States should devote more attention to the management of septage and faecal sludge, which often poses the biggest challenges and threats but also provides the greatest opportunities and immediate public health gains; (f) States should put in place stronger regulations and independent regulators. They should assign clear institutional responsibilities for all aspects of wastewater management and pollution control, including faecal sludge management. They should develop capacity, including for overseeing and coordinating the sector. They must ensure participation by concerned 22/23 13-41825