Let’s Celebrate World Water Day!

World Water Day is celebrated every year on March 22nd! Founded by the United Nations in 1993, the goal of World Water Day is to highlight the importance of freshwater in today’s world, and raise awareness to address water and sanitation issues.

Did you know that only 1% of all the water on Earth is usable freshwater? According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, 97% of Earth’s water is salt water or undrinkable, and 2% is frozen in ice caps or glaciers. With the limited availability of freshwater, World Water Day is a great time to not only remind us of the importance of freshwater, but also to celebrate Earth’s water!

Each year, the United Nations assigns a theme to World Water Day. For 2024, the theme is Water for Peace.

Water has the power to create peace or spark conflict. Water is a basic human need and right, so when water is scarce, polluted, or unevenly distributed, tensions can rise. Worldwide, over 3 billion people depend on water that crosses national borders. However, out of 153 countries that share rivers, lakes, and other freshwater resources with their neighboring countries, only 24 countries report that they have implemented cooperation agreements for their shared water. 

As the effects of climate change increase, the need to share water grows stronger. Public health, food, and energy systems are just a few aspects that are fueled by and depend on freshwater. By working together, water can be a stabilizing force for peace and prosperity.

Even though many of these issues may appear larger than ourselves, we all have a part to play. There are plenty of ways that us as individuals, families, and communities can celebrate World Water Day and raise awareness.

• Learn.
  • Visit the UN’s Water Facts page to learn more about the importance of water, and how water is involved with climate change, natural disasters, and even politics.
  • Utilize the SDG 6 Data Portal to view water and sanitation statistics in your country or region, or anywhere in the world.
  • Read the UN’s World Water Development Report when it is released on March 22nd.

• Pledge.
  • Encourage students or individuals to pledge to actions that will promote water conservation and peace. Some ideas for pledges are:
    • Save water, by taking shorter showers and not leaving the tap on when brushing teeth.
    • Stop polluting, by not putting food waste, oil, medicine, or chemicals down toilets or drains.
  • At home or in the classroom, combine these pledges into a visual representation. Utilize a large board to create a “pledge wall”, and have students or individuals write or draw their water conservation pledges. Make sure to display this pledge wall in a prominent location to remind others of the importance of water conservation!

• Act.
  • Raise awareness for World Water Day by using #WorldWaterDay on social media posts.
  • Organize or participate in a clean-up of rivers, lakes, or beaches in your community.
  • Reach out to your local elected officials, and encourage them to put more focus on water conservation.

World Water Day is also a great opportunity to help students understand how crucial engineering is to the access of clean water all around the world, and TryEngineering is here to assist! Be sure to check out our Ocean Engineering career page for more information!