Tomorrow, March 22, is World Water Day

While we may take clean water for granted, there are hundreds of millions of people around our world who are short of this basic necessity. In 1992, the United Nations General Assembly designated March 22nd of each year as World Water Day.

The goal of World Water Day is to create awareness about the importance of freshwater as well as a means of advocacy for sustainable management of clean water resources. Each year is marked by a specific water theme. For 2009, the theme is Transboundary Water: sharing water, sharing opportunities.

By the numbers

-1.1 billion people don’t have access to clean drinking water.
That’s 1 in 6 people. (1)

-Over 3.5 million people die every year from a lack of clean water.
That’s 100 people every 15 minutes. (2)

-5,000 children die everyday because of water-related diseases.
That’s 1 every 15 seconds. (3)

-People in slums often pay 5-10 times more per liter of water than wealthy people in the same city.
That’s injustice. (4)

Take action

In keeping with the mission of creating awareness of water shortages, usages and sustainability, here are three things you can do right now to support this cause:

1. Sign a petition asking Congress to combat global poverty
2. Conserve water at home- here are 40 convenient ways to do so
3. Check out the companies below and consider supporting their cause

Companies taking action

Charity: Water- partner with organizations around the globe to provide customized clean water solutions on a project basis

Lifewater International- works to provide clean water supplies to communities in developing nations

Water Partners International- work with donors and local partners to provide clean drinking water and sanitation

Living Water International- develops community-based water solutions in developing nations

CLEANIndia- analyzes the water quality in villages throughout India

Water Aid America- charity for clean water in Africa and Asia

The Water Project- A non-profit orgnaization which connects donors to water project partners primarily in Africa and India.

By the number sources: (1) Charitywater.org, (2) World Health Organization, (3) Living Water International, (4) United Nations Human Development Report