World Water Day

World Water Day History

World Water Day aims to promote awareness about the 2.2 billion people worldwide living without access to safe water. It seeks to tackle the global water crisis, emphasizing themes such as water scarcity, sanitation issues, and water-related diseases. Not just about raising awareness, this day drives concerted action and facilitates the sharing of best practices.

Introduced in 1993 following a United Nations General Assembly resolution in 1992, World Water Day has a direct impact on people in America. Every year, the event underscores issues that affect Americans including water pollution, infrastructure decay, and the impact of climate change on water resources. Moreover, it brings attention to the plight of marginalized communities within the US, who often have less access to clean and safe drinking water. For example, the crisis in Flint, Michigan, exemplifies the acute water-related challenges some areas face.

In the United States, World Water Day is marked by various activities organized by government agencies, non-profit organizations, schools, and communities. These include educational programs, community clean-ups, and conservation projects. It aims to encourage individual and collective action, and often involves raising funds for water and sanitation projects both domestically and overseas. World Water Day is observed on March 22nd each year.

Facts about World Water Day

• The theme for World Water Day in 2024 was Water For Peace. The theme in 2023 was Accelerating Change.
• According to the WHO, as of 2022, 2.2 billion people around the world have limited access to safe drinking water.
• Russia's Lake Baikal and North America's Great Lakes hold about 40% of the world's fresh water supply, the large remainder of the freshwater supply is in the form of icecaps and glaciers.
• According to UNICEF, diarrhea is the second leading cause of death among children under the age of 5 in the world.
• You ain't gonna miss your water until your well runs dry - Bob Marley

In the News and Trending in the US for World Water Day

Top things to do in the US for World Water Day

• Don't waste water!!! Make a conscious effort to use less water on World Water Day and on other days. Some ways to reduce water consumption include, showers instead of baths, washing full loads of clothing only and turning off the tap while washing dishes and brushing teeth.
• Volunteer to help clean up trash and other debris along a beach or shore. This garbage and debris pollutes the water that we need in our daily lives.
• Donate to a charity or organization that supports water issues in developing nations. WaterAid is an organization that works in poor countries to set up and maintain water sources, UNICEF
• Watch documentaries about water-related issues such as pollution, contamination and diseases. Our top picks are Thirst (2004),Flow for the Love of Water (2008), Tapped (2009), Dhaka's Cholera Wars (2011), Troubled Water (2012), and The Fight for Water (2014).
• Take part in a local World Water Day celebration, such as a film screening or a water conservation event. One of the largest events, the White House Water Summit in Washington DC, will be livestreamed.