essay of water day

Search the United Nations

• UN Observances

Water for peace

Water can create peace or spark conflict.

When water is scarce or polluted, or when people have unequal, or no access, tensions can rise between communities and countries.

More than 3 billion people worldwide depend on water that crosses national borders. Yet, only 24 countries have cooperation agreements for all their shared water.

As climate change impacts increase, and populations grow, there is an urgent need, within and between countries, to unite around protecting and conserving our most precious resource.

Public health and prosperity, food and energy systems, economic productivity and environmental integrity all rely on a well-functioning and equitably managed water cycle.

Creating a positive ripple effect

The theme of World Water Day 2024 is ‘Water for Peace’.

When we cooperate on water, we create a positive ripple effect – fostering harmony, generating prosperity and building resilience to shared challenges.

We must act upon the realization that water is not only a resource to be used and competed over – it is a human right, intrinsic to every aspect of life.

This World Water Day, we all need to unite around water and use water for peace, laying the foundations of a more stable and prosperous tomorrow.

Play your part!

Be part of the global campaign on ‘Water for Peace’. We need everyone – from individuals and families to companies and governments – to do what they can to cooperate on water and pave the way for a more harmonious society. Download resources to get involved this World Water Day and find out more about the connection between water and peace .

Key messages for World Water Day 2024

• Water can create peace or spark conflict . When water is scarce or polluted, or when people struggle for access, tensions can rise. By cooperating on water, we can balance everyone’s water needs and help stabilize the world.
• Prosperity and peace rely on water . As nations manage climate change, mass migration and political unrest, they must put water cooperation at the heart of their plans.
• Water can lead us out of crisis . We can foster harmony between communities and countries by uniting around the fair and sustainable use of water – from United Nations conventions at the international level, to actions at the local level.

Comprometámonos a intensificar los esfuerzos para valorar de verdad el agua, de modo que todos podamos tener un acceso equitativo a tan preciado recurso. Mensaje

Did you know?

• 2.2 billion still live without safely managed drinking water, including 115 million people who drink surface water. ( WHO/UNICEF, 2023 )
• Roughly half of the world’s population is experiencing severe water scarcity for at least part of the year ( IPCC, 2022 ). 
• Water-related disasters have dominated the list of disasters over the past 50 years and account for 70 per cent of all deaths related to natural disasters ( World Bank, 2022 ). 
• Transboundary waters account for 60 per cent of the world’s freshwater flows, and 153 countries have territory within at least 1 of the 310 transboundary river and lake basins and inventoried 468 transboundary aquifer systems ( UN-Water, 2023 ).
• Only 24 countries report that all their transboundary basins are covered by cooperation arrangements. ( UN-Water, 2021 ). 

Previous World Water Day themes

Explore the UN-Water archive of World Water Day resources going back to 1994, covering an array of themes, from water and cities, health, culture, livelihoods, food, energy, disasters and much more.

WASH for Peace

On the World Water Day 2024 theme ‘Water for Peace’, UNICEF is launching its WASH for Peace guidance and tools to help save lives and bring stability to conflict and fragile zones through water, sanitation and hygiene programmes.

¿Cómo está el agua en tu país?

Descubre el porcentaje de agua potable, la calidad del agua, la población que tiene acceso a servicios de saneamiento o la proporción de aguas residuales que son tratadas de forma segura.

Enlaces relacionados

• UNESCO-Programa Mundial de Evaluación de los Recursos Hídricos
• Org. Meteorológica Mundial

Evento virtual

El Día Mundial del Agua se celebrará en un acto en línea el 22 de marzo de 13:00 a 14:30 (CET) donde se presentará el Informe sobre el Desarrollo de los Recursos Hídricos y se debatirá acerca del valor del agua

UN World Water Development Report 2024

The UN’s flagship report on water and sanitation is launched every year on World Water Day (22 March). The 2024 edition will explore the theme of ‘Water for prosperity and peace’. 

Navigating water tenure in Senegal

Nomadic pastoralists in Senegal need water for their livestock, but farmers are not always willing to share. The issue of water tenure affects social cohesion and peace among different water users.

Report: “Water as an argument for peace, twinning and cooperation”

The Special Rapporteur on the human rights to water and sanitation presents stories of transboundary cooperation that show the benefits of a human rights approach to transboundary water management.

Residents queue to fill water bottles at a natural water spring in Cape Town, South Africa, a city that may soon have to shut off its taps due to a severe water shortage.

From Not Enough to Too Much, the World’s Water Crisis Explained

Many more cities than Cape Town face an uncertain future over water. But there are emerging solutions.

“Day Zero,” when at least a million homes in the city of Cape Town, South Africa, will no longer have any running water , was originally scheduled for April. It was recently moved to July . The three-year long drought hasn’t ended, but severe water rationing—limiting people to a mere 13 gallons (50 litres) per person per day—has made a difference. (To put this into perspective, an average U.S. citizen uses 100 gallons (375 liters) per day .)

“No person in Cape Town should be flushing potable water down a toilet any more.… No one should be showering more than twice a week now,” said Helen Zille , the premier of the Western Cape province, where Cape Town is located.

Like many places in the world, Cape Town and the surrounding region has likely reached “peak water,” or the limit of how much water can be reasonably taken from the area, says water scientist Peter Gleick , president-emeritus of the Pacific Institute. Gleick, who has spent substantial time in South Africa, says the country generally has good water managers.

“Two years ago, I would not have predicted Cape Town would face day Zero,” he said in an interview. However, climate change has disrupted the Earth’s hydrological cycle (water cycle), changing when, where, and how much precipitation falls. That has made water management planning far more challenging, he said. Yet our water systems were largely built based on the more stable climate of the past.

“What’s happening in Cape Town could happen anywhere,” says Gleick.

Global Risk

Brazil’s São Paulo, a megacity of 20 million, faced its own Day Zero in 2015. The city turned off its water supply for 12 hours a day, forcing many businesses and industries to shut down . In 2008, Barcelona, Spain, had to import tankers full of freshwater from France. Droughts have also become more frequent, more severe, and affecting more people around the world.

LIMITED TIME OFFER

Receive up to 2 bonus issues, with any paid gift subscription!

Fourteen of the world’s 20 megacities are now experiencing water scarcity or drought conditions. As many as four billion people already live in regions that experience severe water stress for at least one month of the year, according to a 2016 study in the journal Science Advances . Nearly half of those people live in India and China. With populations rising, these stresses will only mount.

Disaster data compiled by the U.N . clearly shows floods are also getting worse. They are happening more frequently, especially in coastal regions and river valleys, and affecting more people. Of all major disasters in the world between 1995 and 2015, 90 percent were weather-related events, such as floods, storms, heatwaves, and droughts. Flooding accounted for more than half of all weather-related disasters, affecting 2.3 billion people and killing 157,000 in that 20-year period. Last year, the costs of extreme weather—floods, droughts, wildfires, storms—in the U.S. reached a record-topping $300 billion . These events displaced more than one million Americans from their homes.

Humanity is facing a growing challenge of too much water in some places and not enough water in others. This is being driven not just by climate change, but by population and economic growth and poor water management, experts warn.

“Water scarcity and flood problems are primarily due to quick growth, increasing vulnerability, and insufficient preparation,” says Arjen Hoekstra , a professor of water management at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. “Climate change, however, is and will worsen the situation in most cases.”

The Roll of “Embedded Water”

Cape Town, where nearly four million people live, has a dry climate much like southern California. It is facing it’s Day Zero due to increased water demands from population and economic growth in combination with a three-year drought that’s severely limited the water supply. Yet what many people don’t realize is that typical home use of water—for washing, flushing, and cooking—represents only about three percent of humanity’s total water consumption, says Hoekstra. Agriculture uses the lion’s share, 80 to 90 percent, followed by energy production and industry.

Rivers Run Dry

The Cape Town region is the heart of South Africa’s wine country, which exported 113 million gallons (428.5 million litres) of wine in 2016 to Europe and the U.S. Yet this export represents a much bigger amount of water that was used to grow and process the grapes. Most of that water is no longer available for human consumption, according to Hoekstra, who is the creator of the water footprint concept. He and colleagues at the Water Footprint Network have worked out that it takes between 26 to 53 gallons (100 to 200 liters) of water to grow the grapes and process them into one five-ounce (125 ml) glass of wine.

In other words, the net amount of water used to grow or make something, be it a lemon, cellphone, or glass of wine, is the product’s water footprint. Most of the water used to make a typical glass of wine is lost to evaporation, with a small amount stored in the grapes, and the rest unsuitable for reuse. While the evaporated water will eventually become rain, it is unlikely to fall over the same vineyards, or even in the Western Cape province, meaning it is effectively “lost” to the region.

So that means a typical 25-ounce (750 ml) bottle of wine has a water footprint of nearly 200 gallons (750 liters). That means the region’s 2016 wine exports involved the net consumption of 113.2 billion gallons (428.5 billion liters) of water. This is water that is lost to the region.

South Africa already has 7 million people without access to water . Meeting their needs would require 33.3 billion gallons (126 billion liters) per year, one third of the amount the wine industry consumes. On top of that, the Western Cape exported an estimated 231,000 tonnes of citrus fruits , mostly oranges, in 2017. The water footprint of one orange—the net amount of water used to grow it—averages 21 gallons (80 liters). Using that basis, those citrus exports used up 30 billion gallons (115 billion liters) of the province’s water.

You May Also Like

Europe’s water crisis is much worse than we thought

This 2,200-year-old slab bears the world’s first mention of leap year

Rome wasn’t built for today’s climate. Is there time to save it?

Not only does it take water to grow anything, it also takes water to make most things: cars, furniture, books, electronics, buildings, jewelry, toys, and even electricity. This water, which often goes largely unseen, is often called “virtual water.” What gets forgotten is that virtual water is as real as the water you drink.

South Africa, a water-stressed country, also exports oil products, minerals, and metals, all of which require enormous amounts of water. For example, it exported 211 tonnes of platinum in 2012. That’s like an export of 45 billion gallons (170 billion liters) of water—the estimated amount of water needed to mine and process the metal .

Other large countries with growing populations, such as China and India, also export staggering volumes of virtual water, often while facing considerable water scarcity problems at home. “This simply can’t continue,” says Hoekstra.

Seeking Solutions

All of those exports could be produced using far less water, Hoekstra says. It starts with what he calls the most important water management strategy: grow and produce things in the right place. In other words, water-intensive crops like rice and cotton should be grown in water-rich regions.

In a global economy, drought can be a big issue even in water-rich countries, because of a growing dependence on imports. Around 38 percent of the European Union’s water consumption is reliant on water availability in other countries, to grow soybeans, rice, cotton, and other products that it imports. “That makes Europe vulnerable to increasing water scarcity and drought,” says Christopher Briggs , executive director of Water Footprint Network.

A coastal city, Cape Town hopes to solve its problem by getting a new water source: the ocean. It is building its first desalination plants . However, these are expensive and energy intensive. Gleick says it would be more cost effective for the region to shift to less-water intensive crops and to reuse treated wastewater. Currently, Cape Town reuses just five percent of its treated wastewater, compared to Israel’s 85 percent. Israel has also eliminated water-thirsty crops like cotton and made major improvements in water efficiency to free up more water for population growth.

California, which recently suffered through four years of drought and water restrictions , also needs to shift its agricultural production to less water-using crops, says Gleick, who is based there. And the state could increase its wastewater reuse from the current 15 percent, using the surplus to recharge depleted aquifers and use on crops.

A reservoir can be seen at a low level in Cape Town in February. Many other cities could suffer similar fates in the near future, experts warn.

When There’s Too Much Water

Perhaps ironically, too much water too fast was California’s most recent water problem. Following its worst wildfire season in history, heavy rainfall this winter produced mud slides that killed more than 20 people and destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes. Hurricane Harvey , which hit Texas and Louisiana last August, causing $125 billion in damage, dumped more water out of the sky than any storm in U.S. history. Some 890,000 families sought federal disaster aid, most often from flooding in the Houston area—in large part because many homes were built on flood plains . At the start of March, five states were under a state of emergency (Louisiana, Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, and Michigan) due to heavy rainfalls and flooding.

Rapid population growth, building on floodplains or low-lying coastal regions, and climate change are the biggest reasons why flooding is affecting more people and causing ever greater damage, warns Gleick.

Climate change is the result of burning fossil fuels and has added 46 percent more heat-trapping carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. But even if fossil-fuel used ended today, that additional heat in the atmosphere will put 10 times more Americans at risk of being flooded out by rivers over the next 20 years, a new study reveals .

“More than half of the United States must at least double their protection level within the next two decades if they want to avoid a dramatic increase in river flood risks,” says lead-author Sven Willner from Germany’s Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).

Rainfall changes caused by global warming will increase river flood risks across the globe, the study found. In South America, the number of people affected by river flooding will likely increase from 6 to 12 million. In Africa, the number will rise from 25 to 34 million, and in Asia from 70 to 156 million.

It bears repeating that these findings are based on the current level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In reality, humanity added 45 billion tons in 2017, and will likely add that much or more in 2018. Without limiting human-caused warming to well below 3.6 degrees F (2 degrees Celsius), the river flood risk in many regions will be beyond what we can adapt to, Willner and team’s study concludes.

Climate change is also causing sea levels to rise, resulting in substantial coastal flooding during high tides and storms. More than 13 million Americans living on the coasts will be forced to move by 2100 because of rising ocean levels, according to a 2017 study by Mathew Hauer, a demographer at the University of Georgia. About 2.5 million will flee the region that includes Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. Greater New Orleans loses up to 500,000 people; the New York City area loses 50,000, the study estimated. These coastal migrants will likely go to cities on high ground with mild climates, such as Atlanta, Austin, Madison, and Memphis. ( See what would happen if all the ice melted .)

“If people are forced to move because their houses become inundated, the migration could affect many landlocked communities as well,” said Hauer in a statement.

Related Topics

What is the ARkStorm? California's worst nightmare, potentially

Is building more dams the way to save rivers?

Have we been talking about climate change all wrong?

How atmospheric rivers cause flooding

What is El Niño—and will it lead to more snow this winter?

• History & Culture
• Photography
• Environment
• Paid Content

History & Culture

• Mind, Body, Wonder
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Children's Online Privacy Policy
• Interest-Based Ads
• About Nielsen Measurement
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Nat Geo Home
• Attend a Live Event
• Book a Trip
• Inspire Your Kids
• Shop Nat Geo
• Visit the D.C. Museum
• Learn About Our Impact
• Support Our Mission
• Advertise With Us
• Customer Service
• Renew Subscription
• Manage Your Subscription
• Work at Nat Geo
• Sign Up for Our Newsletters
• Contribute to Protect the Planet

Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society Copyright © 2015-2024 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved

Reflections on World Water Day 2024

T his Reflections essay is being published on March 22, which is World Water Day. UN-Water, which coordinates the United Nations’ work on water and sanitation issues, designates a World Water Day theme each year, and this year’s theme is Water for Peace. The UN-Water webpage features these points related to the Water for Peace theme, which I quote:

• Water can create peace or spark conflict.
• When water is scarce or polluted, or when people have unequal, or no access, tensions can rise between communities and countries.
• More than 3 billion people worldwide depend on water that crosses national borders. Yet, only 24 countries have cooperation agreements for all their shared water.
• As climate change impacts increase, and populations grow, there is an urgent need, within and between countries, to unite around protecting and conserving our most precious resource.
• Public health and prosperity, food and energy systems, economic productivity and environmental integrity all rely on a well-functioning and equitably managed water cycle.
• When we cooperate on water, we create a positive ripple effect – fostering harmony, generating prosperity and building resilience to shared challenges.
• We must act upon the realization that water is not only a resource to be used and competed over – it is a human right, intrinsic to every aspect of life.
• This World Water Day, we all need to unite around water and use water for peace, laying the foundations of a more stable and prosperous tomorrow.

Taken together, these bullet points convey the significant global water challenges. At the same time, they focus on the importance of acting together to lay “the foundations of a more stable and prosperous tomorrow.”

With the abundance of water challenges, many of which are increasing in severity, working together on solutions is crucial. Challenges such as diminishing surface water supplies, over-extraction of finite groundwater, water pollution, flooding, and insufficient water access require our collective attention. Everyone needs and uses water, so everyone has a stake in our water future. As I like to say, everyone is a water stakeholder.

Implementing water solutions through partnerships was the focus of the WRRC’s 2024 Annual Conference, held on March 12-13 on the University of Arizona campus. Panelists and keynote speakers alike spoke of the need to come together to address challenging issues such as allocating a drier Colorado River, addressing groundwater overdraft, developing innovative financing options, and working across borders. We hope that our annual conference provided an opportunity for the networking and conversation that are key to developing partnerships.

Engaging in conversation and open-minded analysis of options and tradeoffs can nurture the common understanding that is the foundation for working together to identify and implement solutions. Let’s build upon our relationships so that mutual respect and genuine listening carry the day. It’s not easy work, but in keeping with this year’s Water for Peace theme, let’s cooperate rather than fight so that water security can be achieved.

Search form

• Study break
• Magazine zone

World Water Day

Everyone needs water, and every drop is precious. On 22 March, World Water Day draws attention to the essential role of water in our lives, the difficulties many people have getting clean water, and solutions to these problems. 

Instructions

Do the preparation task first. Then read the article and do the exercises to check your understanding.

Preparation

Why do we need water.

The human body is around 60 per cent water, and we need to drink lots of water to be healthy. As well as needing clean water to drink, we need it for cooking, washing and brushing our teeth. Hygienic toilets require water – a lot of water. Each time we flush, we can use up to six litres! We use water indirectly too. Farmers, who produce the food we eat, use water to make the plants grow. A lot of water is used to produce the clothes we wear. Did you know that it takes about 2,700 litres of water to make one T-shirt?

Does everyone have enough water?

We all need water to stay alive, but more than two billion people around the world live without safe water in their homes. That's around a quarter of the world's population! Many of them live in rural communities or in places where there is war and conflict. In addition to this, climate change is making the little water they have access to more and more scarce.

What are the consequences?

If we drink dirty water or we can't wash our hands when we go to the toilet, we can catch diseases from bacteria and become ill. More than two thousand children worldwide die every day from diarrhoea caused by dirty water. In some countries, people – mainly women and children – walk many kilometres every day to get water, and sometimes the water isn't even clean! If children spend most of their day walking to get water, they can't go to school, so they don't learn how to read or write and don't get an education.

What happens on World Water Day?

In 1992, the United Nations decided to make a special day for water, and World Water Day has been celebrated on 22 March every year since 1993. On this day, many countries hold events to educate people about the problems of dirty water and to try to find solutions to provide everyone around the world with clean water.

What can we do?

A lot of charities organise fundraising events for World Water Day. People do things like sponsored walks, cycles and swims. Some groups organise events like 'Walk for water', where people walk four, eight or 12 kilometres each day in March, to see how it feels when you have to walk a long way to get your drinking water. Others do a 'Water challenge' and drink only water for a whole month. People give them money to do these things, and all this money helps buy taps and toilets and provide clean water to as many people as possible around the world. So, this World Water Day, what will you do?

Check your understanding: grouping

Check your understanding: gap fill, worksheets and downloads.

What do you think are the most important things we use water for? What can we do to save water?

Sign up to our newsletter for LearnEnglish Teens

We will process your data to send you our newsletter and updates based on your consent. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of every email. Read our privacy policy for more information.

Water for Peace: official celebration of World Water Day 2024

• Download event
• Add to google
• Add to Outlook
• Add to Office365

Under the theme “Water for Peace”, this campaign, led jointly by UNESCO and UNECE on behalf of UN-Water , showcases water's pivotal role in fostering peace, prosperity, and conflict prevention. 

Join us at UNESCO Headquarters for the official World Water Day 2024 celebration. This pivotal event promises a rich one-day programme filled with insights from distinguished speakers, including heads of UN agencies and high-level officials, alongside technical presentations that draw on field experiences. The day will also be enlivened by artistic and cultural activities that echo the theme. A highlight of the celebration will be the unveiling of the United Nations World Water Development Report 2024. 

Programme highlights

• High level Opening Ceremony  
• Launch of the United Nations World Water Development Report 2024  
• Technical Discussions on Water Cooperation and Peacebuilding 
• Cultural shows and indoor photo exhibition (Walk of Water) 

Provisional event programme: English | Français

UN World Water Development Report 2024

The UN World Water Development Report (WWDR) is published by UNESCO, on behalf of UN-Water and its production is coordinated by the UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme. Since its first edition in 2003, the series provide policy and decision-makers with factual evidence and tools to stimulate ideas and actions. This comprehensive report, funded by the Italian Government, also provides an authoritative overview of global water trends, challenges, and solutions. The 2024 Report, entitled "Water for Prosperity and Peace", underlines the interlinked complex relationships between water, prosperity and peace, describing how progress in one dimension can have positive repercussions on the others. 

Ensure your participation in the dialogue on sustainable water management and peace by exploring the findings and recommendations of the UN WWDR 2024. 

Participate in the celebration

We welcome the participation of members of governments, international organizations, NGOs, academia, the private sector, and all stakeholders interested in the sustainable management of water resources and the promotion of peace; in-person or by watching live. Registration is mandatory to participate in-person. 

Participate online

Watch the ceremony live

More information

Related items.

• Natural sciences
• Guidelines and tools
• Programme implementation
• Sharing knowledge
• UN ＆ International cooperation
• World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP)
• World Water Day
• Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP)
• Water consumption
• Water quality
• Water resources
• Water resources management
• Water supply
• Country page: France
• Region: Europe and North America
• See more add

More on this subject

Other recent events

Event OceanPredict Symposium 18 November 2024 - 20 November 2024

Event OceanPredict Symposium 18 November 2024 - 21 November 2024

Event OceanPredict Symposium 18 November 2024 - 19 November 2024

Event OceanPredict Symposium 18 November 2024

Significance of World Water Day 

World Water Day is observed annually on March 22nd.

It aims to raise awareness about the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of water resources.

World Water Day is coordinated by the United Nations (UN) through its agencies, particularly UN-Water.

World Water Day aligns with SDG 6, which aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.

World Water Day draws attention to pressing global water challenges, including pollution, scarcity, access disparities, and climate change impacts.

Also Check: Save Water Save Life Essay

Understanding the Importance of Water:

Water is like the superhero of our planet. It's everywhere, and it's essential for everything living. Think of it as the fuel that keeps life running smoothly. But why is water so important?

First off, our bodies need water to survive. We are made with 60% of water, so we need to keep topping up to stay healthy. It helps us digest food, keeps our skin and body healthy and glowing, and even helps our brains work properly. Without enough water, we can feel tired, dizzy, or even sick.

But it's not just us humans who rely on water. Plants and animals need it too. Just like us, they use water to grow, stay hydrated, and thrive. Imagine a world without lush green forests, colorful flowers, or playful animals – it would be a sad sight indeed.

Water also helps us out in other ways. It's like a transport system, carrying nutrients and minerals to different parts of the planet. From the deepest oceans to the tallest mountains, water flows and nourishes everything in its path. It also helps to keep our planet's temperature stable, kind of like a natural air conditioner.

Also Check: Save Water Save Earth Essay

The Origin of World Water Day

World Water Day has a history rooted in raising awareness about the importance of freshwater resources. Here's a breakdown of its key milestones:

1992: The idea for World Water Day was first formally proposed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro. This conference, also known as the Earth Summit, addressed a wide range of environmental issues  [UN Conference on Environment and Development] .

December 1992: The United Nations General Assembly officially declared March 22nd as World Water Day through resolution A/RES/47/193.

1993: The first World Water Day was observed around the world.

Since then, World Water Day has grown into a global event that tackles various water-related issues. Each year, the UN-Water, a UN coordination mechanism for freshwater, sets a specific theme  to focus the day's message.  For example, the theme for 2024 is Water for Prosperity and Peace .

Also Check: Save Water Speech

Challenges Facing Our Water Resources:

Rivers, lakes, and oceans are marred by the sight of plastic bottles, wrappers, and other debris, not only tarnishing their appearance but also endangering the flora, fauna, and human communities reliant on them.

Industrial, agricultural, and household pollutants seep into water bodies, rendering them unsafe for consumption and detrimental to aquatic ecosystems.

Similar to leaving a faucet running endlessly, some regions worldwide are depleting water resources faster than they can regenerate, leading to shortages and dried-up riverbeds.

Agricultural irrigation, industrial processes, and daily human consumption cumulatively strain water resources, exacerbating the imbalance between usage and replenishment.

Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall patterns contribute to more frequent and severe droughts, shrinking water sources and amplifying water scarcity issues.

While some areas face prolonged droughts, others contend with heightened rainfall and flooding, posing challenges such as soil erosion and water source contamination.

While many enjoy instant access to clean water, millions globally lack this basic necessity, often having to travel long distances to fetch water that may still be unsafe for consumption.

Inadequate access perpetuates a cycle of poverty and ill health, as contaminated water sources contribute to widespread illness and disease burden.

Infrastructure projects like dams and river diversions intended to meet human water needs can disrupt ecosystems, endangering plant and animal species reliant on those water sources.

Achieving a balance between human demands and environmental preservation necessitates meticulous planning and collaborative efforts to ensure sustainable water resource management practices. These challenges are real and affect millions of people around the world. By understanding them and taking action to address them, we can work towards ensuring that clean and safe water is available for everyone, now and in the future.

Taking Action for a Sustainable Future:

World Water Day is a great reminder to think about our future! Here are some ways we can all take action for a sustainable water future, explained simply:

Check for leaks in your faucets and toilets. Even small drips can waste a lot of water.

A long shower can use up gallons of water. Try cutting your shower time by a minute or two. A short shower bath can save gallons of water. 

Brush your teeth or wash dishes with the water off only when you need to rinse.

Carry a reusable water bottle and fill it up instead of buying bottled water. 

Take advantage of free rainwater by using a rain barrel to collect it for watering plants. 

Water your plants early in the morning or evening to avoid evaporation.

Talk to your friends and family about the importance of saving water. The more people who know, the bigger the impact!

Governments, businesses, and civil society must also work together to implement policies and practices that promote water sustainability. Investing in infrastructure for clean water and sanitation, protecting natural ecosystems, and fostering international cooperation are essential components of this collective effort.

Remember, every drop counts! By making small changes in our daily lives, we can all make a big difference for a sustainable water future.

Key Facts About World Water Day

Our bodies are composed of about 60% water, emphasizing the crucial role water plays in maintaining our health and vitality.

World Water Day, celebrated annually on March 22nd, is a global observance highlighting the significance of freshwater resources.

Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993, World Water Day follows a recommendation from the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro.

More than 2 billion people worldwide face water scarcity, attributed to factors such as population growth, climate change, and inadequate water management practices.

Despite efforts to improve access to clean water, millions still lack safe drinking water and proper sanitation facilities, leading to waterborne diseases and health issues.

Women and girls bear a disproportionate burden of water scarcity, spending significant time each day collecting water, limiting their educational and economic opportunities.

Water scarcity and pollution pose threats to aquatic ecosystems, endangering biodiversity and disrupting the balance of delicate environments like rivers, lakes, and wetlands.

Agriculture consumes around 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, underscoring the need for water-efficient farming practices and sustainable irrigation methods to ensure food security while conserving water resources.

Floods, droughts, and other water-related disasters have severe impacts on communities, resulting in loss of lives, displacement, and economic losses, especially in vulnerable regions.

Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) of the United Nations targets to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030, highlighting the urgency of addressing water-related challenges worldwide.

As we celebrate World Water Day on 22nd March, let us reflect on the significance of this precious resource and the role we each play in safeguarding it. From the rivers that flow through our cities to the droplets that nourish our crops, water connects us all in a web of life. Let us honor this connection by committing to a future where clean water flows freely for all.

Remember, every drop counts – today and every day. Happy World Water Day!

FAQs on Celebrating World Water Day: A Global Call to Action

1. What is World Water Day?

World Water Day is an annual event celebrated on March 22nd. It is a day designated by the United Nations to focus attention on the importance of freshwater and advocate for the sustainable management of water resources.

2. Why is World Water Day important?

World Water Day raises awareness about the global water crisis and the need for action to ensure access to clean and safe water for all. It highlights the importance of water conservation, sustainable water management practices, and addressing water-related challenges such as pollution and scarcity.

3. What are some of the major challenges facing our water resources today?

Some of the major challenges facing our water resources include pollution from industrial and agricultural activities, over-extraction of groundwater, climate change-induced droughts and floods, inadequate sanitation infrastructure, and unequal access to clean water, especially in marginalized communities.

4. How can we address these challenges?

Addressing water challenges requires a multifaceted approach involving individuals, governments, businesses, and communities. Solutions include implementing sustainable water management practices, investing in water infrastructure and technology, promoting water conservation and efficiency, improving sanitation facilities, and ensuring equitable access to clean water for all.

What is World Water Day? 

Access to clean, safe water remains elusive for millions around the world. Image:  Unsplash/mrjn Photography on

.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo{-webkit-transition:all 0.15s ease-out;transition:all 0.15s ease-out;cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:none;color:inherit;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:hover,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:focus,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-focus]{box-shadow:0 0 0 3px rgba(168,203,251,0.5);} Joe Myers

.chakra .wef-9dduvl{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-9dduvl{font-size:1.125rem;}} Explore and monitor how .chakra .wef-15eoq1r{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;color:#F7DB5E;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-15eoq1r{font-size:1.125rem;}} Future of the Environment is affecting economies, industries and global issues

.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;color:#2846F8;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{font-size:1.125rem;}} Get involved with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale

Stay up to date:, climate and nature.

• World Water Day is held every year on 22 March to raise awareness of global freshwater challenges and solutions.
• This year's theme is Water for Peace, exploring the links between water and instability and conflict.
• The World Economic Forum's UpLink platform showcases how innovation and entrepreneurship can help conserve and protect freshwater.

World Water Day is held every year on 22 March, and is a United Nations (UN) day focused on raising awareness of the importance of freshwater.

This year's theme is Water for Peace. The aim is to highlight the tensions that can emerge over resources like water, leading to potential instability and conflict, but also the role that water can play, if carefully managed, in promoting peace.

Water security – both sustainable supply and clean quality – is a critical aspect in ensuring healthy communities. Yet, our world’s water resources are being compromised.

Today, 80% of our wastewater flows untreated back into the environment, while 780 million people still do not have access to an improved water source. By 2030, we may face a 40% global gap between water supply and demand.

The World Economic Forum’s Water Possible Platform is supporting innovative ideas to address the global water challenge.

The Forum supports innovative multi-stakeholder partnerships including the 2030 Water Resources Group , which helps close the gap between global water demand and supply by 2030 and has since helped facilitate $1Billion of investments into water.

Other emerging partnerships include the 50L Home Coalition , which aims to solve the urban water crisis , tackling both water security and climate change; and the Mobilizing Hand Hygiene for All Initiative , formed in response to close the 40% gap of the global population not having access to handwashing services during COVID-19.

Want to join our mission to address the global water challenge? Read more in our impact story .

Why does World Water Day matter?

The stats around freshwater speak for themselves:

• Over 2 billion people still live without safely managed drinking water.
• Diarrhoea caused by dirty water and poor sanitation kills a child under 5 nearly every 2 minutes.
• Three in ten schools globally don't have a basic water service .
• In 2021, more than 2 billion people lived in water-stressed countries . This is expected to be made worse as a result of climate change and population growth.

And so World Water Day has been observed since 1993 to highlight the work that remains to ensure everyone on Earth has access to clean drinking water. And while it's a high-profile issue – check out our podcast with Matt Damon below – the figures above emphasize the challenges that remain, especially with freshwater usage increasing each year .

The World Health Organization warns that "historical rates of progress would need to double" for the world to achieve universal coverage of basic drinking water services by the end of the decade.

From climate change to urbanization and demographic changes, water supply systems face numerous risks. Indeed, the World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report 2024 lists "natural resource shortages" as the 4th biggest risk over the next decade.

That's why raising awareness on conserving and protecting freshwater for everyone on Earth is vital, especially as the world looks to find – and implement – solutions.

What's the link between water and peace?

With billions of people without water access and a global system under pressure from numerous evolving threats, the potential for scarcity or pollution to spark tensions is all too clear.

More than 3 billion people depend on water that makes its way across national borders, the UN explains . And yet, just 24 countries globally have cooperation agreements for all the water they're sharing.

Water, therefore, has the potential to trigger instability when different users clash over finite resources. As well as potentially being weaponized during conflicts, access to clean drinking water can also be hit as a result of attacks on vital infrastructure.

But, if freshwater can be managed sustainably and equitably it can also be a catalyst for peace, say the UN. As UNESCO explains in a new report, Water for Prosperity and Peace , "Cooperation over water resources has generated positive and peaceful outcomes, ranging from participatory, community-led initiatives that have relieved local tensions, to dispute settlement and peacebuilding in post-conflict settings and transboundary watersheds."

Find out more about the challenges in the session below from our Annual Meeting in 2024 – Out of Balance with Water .

Innovation to help improve water security

Innovation and entrepreneurial thinking can also help conserve and protect freshwater sources. The World Economic Forum's UpLink platform, along with partner HCL, has run a series of challenges seeking solutions to this issue.

The latest – the Zero Water Waste Challenge – was focused on conserving freshwater from supply to demand and helping move the world towards zero water waste. Find out more about the winners in the video below.

Collaboration between public and private sectors has a significant role to play in providing clean water for all, and ensuring a sustainable, resilient global water system. As global leaders explain in this video from 2023, global water supplies face numerous challenges, but solutions do exist.

Have you read?

Here are 8 ways the world can tackle water scarcity, how can we ensure water resilience in a climate-altered world, water to the people: a pathway through innovative technology and public-private partnerships, don't miss any update on this topic.

Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.

License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

Related topics:

The agenda .chakra .wef-n7bacu{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-weight:400;} weekly.

A weekly update of the most important issues driving the global agenda

.chakra .wef-1dtnjt5{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;} More on Climate and Nature .chakra .wef-17xejub{-webkit-flex:1;-ms-flex:1;flex:1;justify-self:stretch;-webkit-align-self:stretch;-ms-flex-item-align:stretch;align-self:stretch;} .chakra .wef-nr1rr4{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;white-space:normal;vertical-align:middle;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:0.75rem;border-radius:0.25rem;font-weight:700;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;line-height:1.2;-webkit-letter-spacing:1.25px;-moz-letter-spacing:1.25px;-ms-letter-spacing:1.25px;letter-spacing:1.25px;background:none;padding:0px;color:#B3B3B3;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;}@media screen and (min-width:37.5rem){.chakra .wef-nr1rr4{font-size:0.875rem;}}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-nr1rr4{font-size:1rem;}} See all

Explore the deep ocean and understand the 'manosphere': Catch up on these Forum podcasts 

Robin Pomeroy and Linda Lacina

March 28, 2024

Global earthquakes underscore the importance of resilient infrastructure

H. Kit Miyamoto, Olivia Nielsen, Ommid Saberi and Guido Licciardi

March 27, 2024

Geopolitics, the equitable transition, and AI: things to look out for in energy in 2024

Robin Pomeroy and Sophia Akram

March 26, 2024

Industrial electrification is a joint venture: why collaboration across sectors is key

Francisco Laverón, Randolph Brazier, Natalia Zabolotnikova and Xabier Mugarza Zorriqueta

2023 the hottest year on record, and other nature and climate stories you need to read this week

Meg Jones and Joe Myers

March 25, 2024

The Paris Olympics aims to be the greenest Games in history. Here's how

TALK WITH SHIVI

World Water Day Essay for Students and Children | 1000 Words

Table of Contents

Essay on World Water Day

World Water Day is celebrated on March 22nd every year to raise awareness about the importance of freshwater and to advocate for sustainable management of water resources. This day was established by the United Nations in 1992 to highlight the global water crisis and to promote actions to address it. The theme of World Water Day changes each year to focus on a particular aspect of water management. The World Water Day 2023 is  about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis. 

World Water Day was first celebrated on March 22, 1993, following its declaration by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992. The day was proposed as a way to raise awareness about the importance of freshwater and to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. Since then, it has been observed annually on March 22nd, with each year featuring a different theme related to freshwater. World Water Day is now recognized as an important international observance and provides an opportunity to focus attention on the critical role of freshwater in sustainable development.

Water is a fundamental resource that is essential for life on earth. It is used for drinking, agriculture, industry, energy production, and many other purposes. However, despite its importance, access to safe and clean water is still a challenge for many people around the world. According to the United Nations, more than two billion people lack access to safe drinking water, and about four billion people experience water scarcity at least one month a year.

The global water crisis has multiple causes, including climate change, population growth, urbanization, and pollution. Climate change is altering precipitation patterns and causing more frequent and intense floods and droughts. Population growth and urbanization are increasing demand for water and placing stress on water resources. Pollution from agricultural and industrial activities is contaminating water sources and making them unfit for human use.

To address the global water crisis, it is essential to adopt a comprehensive and integrated approach to water management. This includes improving access to safe and clean water, promoting water conservation, increasing water-use efficiency, reducing pollution, and enhancing water governance. Water management must also be gender-inclusive and take into account the needs and perspectives of all stakeholders, including women, indigenous communities, and marginalized groups.

Governments, civil society organizations, and the private sector all have a role to play in promoting sustainable water management. Governments can enact policies and regulations to protect water resources, promote investment in water infrastructure, and ensure that water is allocated in a fair and equitable manner. Civil society organizations can raise awareness about the importance of water and advocate for the rights of communities that are most affected by water scarcity and pollution. The private sector can invest in innovative water technologies and practices that reduce water use and pollution.

World Water Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about the global water crisis and to promote actions to address it. Sustainable water management is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including those related to poverty reduction, health, food security, and environmental sustainability. By working together, we can ensure that everyone has access to safe and clean water, and that water resources are managed in a sustainable and equitable manner.

World Water Day have a great importance because it raises awareness about the critical role that water plays in our lives and the need for sustainable management of water resources. It provides an opportunity to highlight the global water crisis and to promote actions to address it.

Access to safe and clean water is essential for human health and well-being, and for economic development. However, millions of people around the world lack access to safe drinking water, and water scarcity is becoming increasingly common. Climate change is exacerbating the situation, as changing precipitation patterns and more frequent and severe droughts and floods make water resources more unpredictable and scarce.

World Water Day is an opportunity to focus attention on the importance of water management and the need for collective action to ensure that everyone has access to safe and clean water. It promotes a comprehensive and integrated approach to water management that takes into account the needs of all stakeholders, including marginalized communities and indigenous groups.

The theme of World Water Day changes each year to focus on a particular aspect of water management, such as water scarcity, water pollution, or water and climate change. This helps to highlight different dimensions of the global water crisis and to promote solutions that are tailored to specific contexts.

World Water Day is a global event that brings together people from all over the world to celebrate water and raise awareness about the importance of sustainable water management. Various programs are organized on this day to promote action on water-related issues and to highlight successful initiatives that have been implemented in different contexts. Conferences and workshops events bring together water experts, policymakers, and stakeholders from different sectors to discuss water-related issues and to exchange ideas and best practices. They provide a platform for learning, networking, and collaboration on water management issues.

Many organizations use World Water Day to raise awareness about the importance of water and the need for sustainable water management. They organize educational activities, such as workshops, seminars, and public lectures, to inform people about the importance of water and the challenges facing water resources. Some organizations organize clean-up campaigns to remove trash and debris from rivers, lakes, and other water bodies. These campaigns help to improve the quality of water and raise awareness about the importance of keeping water resources clean.

Some organizations organize water-related competitions, such as world water day quiz, world water day activities, world water day poster making, world water day drawing competitions, world water day speech and many more to encourage people to share their perspectives on water-related issues and to promote creative solutions to water management challenges.

World Water Day also provides an opportunity to showcase successful examples of sustainable water management, such as water conservation practices, innovative technologies, and community-led initiatives. This can inspire others to take action and to adopt best practices in their own contexts.

In conclusion, World Water Day is an important occasion to raise awareness about the global water crisis and to promote actions to address it. By working together, we can ensure that everyone has access to safe and clean water, and that water resources are managed in a sustainable and equitable manner. This is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and for ensuring a healthy and prosperous future for all.

Why is World Water Day celebrated?

World Water Day is celebrated on March 22nd every year to raise awareness about the importance of freshwater and to advocate for sustainable management of water resources.

What is the theme of World Water Day 2023?

The World Water Day 2023 is  about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis.

Which days is celebrated as World Water Day?

World Water Day is celebrated on March 22nd every year.

When was World Water Day first celebrated?

World Water Day was first celebrated on March 22, 1993, following its declaration by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

My Study Times

Education through Innovation

Essay On World Water Day : 22nd March

Water has very much importance in our lives. We can say that,” Water is Life ”. Life begins from water, when we sow a seed in soil, it will not grow until we nourish it, we daily give water to that seed then it grows into a plant. What we eat daily, fruits, vegetables, cereals etc, they are available to us only because of “water”. We can realize the importance of water by looking at our daily routine.

As the population of the world is increasing, we are facing the problems of shortage of different natural resources because we are not handling them properly. Some countries of the world are also facing water shortage which is very disastrous to them. For example in India, residents of Bicholim (GOA) and it neighboring areas has faced severe water problems and in Pakistan, the area of “Thar” has lost many children due to severe drought. Other countries like Brazil, China, US, Jordan, South Africa, Libya, Kosovo are also facing water problems.

By considering all the threats and problems, United Nations (UN) proposed to celebrate  World Water Day on 22 March each year, according to the agenda 21 of United Nations. This was first proposed in the conference of United Nations on environment and development in 1992. And the first world water day was celebrated on 22 March 1993.

The purpose to celebrate this world water day is to remind that we should follow the guidelines to save water for us and for our future generations. United Nations and its member nations celebrate this day by promoting and implementing the recommendations of UN to save water resources. Different organizations promote the ways to save water, treatment of waste water to make it clean, and to protect the aqueous habitats.

Each year, World water day has a different theme, and it is celebrated according to that theme. For example, in 2014 “world water day” theme was “water and energy”, so according to the theme, the strategies to use water for energy source were promoted. And in 2015, “world water day” theme was “Water and sustainable development” so the agenda was to use water resources in sustainable development.

The main objective of world water day is to save water resources and to solve the problems of clean water shortage in the world.

About Charmin Patel

Blogger and Digital Marketer by Choice and Chemical Engineer By Chance. Computer and Internet Geek Person Who Loves To Do Something New Every Day.

Worldwide Mission School Wins 2024 World Water Day Football Championship - Amos T. Warner Wins Kickball

W orld Wide Mission School clinched the 2024 World Water Day Football Championship by defeating St. Simon Baptist High School 8 - 7 in post-match penalty kicks, after seventy minutes of exciting display of talents by both teams.

World Wide scored 8 goals while St. Simon Baptist scored 7 goals. In the kickball finals, Amos T. Warner trounced James Doe Young 13 - 4 in another must-see kickball game final. A.T. Warner dominated most part of the game.

The champion teams in football and kickball during this year's championship received cash prizes, medals, and trophies; runners-up received only cash prizes.

The games were graced by the Country Director of WaterAid Liberia, Chuchu K. Selma. Other stakeholders attending the games were J. Kao Davies-Wahtoson (NPHIL), Julius Grammy (WASH Consortium), Timothy Kpehe (United Youth for Transparency and Peace), Lusu Gibson (WaterAid), and Matthew Dweh (WaterAid).

Mr. Chuchu Selma presented trophies to World Wide Mission (football) and Amos T. Warner (kickball) while Timothy Kpehe, J. Kao Davis-Wahtoson, and Julius Grammy presented cash prizes and medals to football and kickball champions.

During his remark, Mr. Selma highlighted the importance of water and the role students can play in their communities to create awareness. He also expressed gratitude to the organizers, National High School Sports, and other stakeholders for the successful conduct of the sports event.

In another development, Mori A. Kaba of Muslim Congress won the 2024 World Water Day Best Essay Competition.

He received a cash prize during a national program organized by the WASH Commission on Friday, March 22, 2024, while his institution received trophy.

A.M. Fofana High School won the last World Water Day Best Essay Competition held in 2019. The Best Essay Competition among participating high schools was part of a broad strategy to maximize awareness of the global observance of World Water Day among youth.

Other results, March 20, 2024. Semi-finals, kickball: Amos T. Warner High School defeated Nathan E. Gibson 3 - 1 (Albertine Fayiah, Woman of the Match); James Doe Young defeated World Wide Mission School 8 - 7 in a tightly contested match.

And in football: St. Simon Baptist crushed Nathan E. Gibson (defending champions) 4 - 0 to secure their position in the finals. Scorers: Delvin Davis, 1 goal; Emmanuel Debois, 1 goal; Isaac Harmon, 2 goals. Isaac Harmon was named Man of the Match.

In another semi-final result, World Wide Mission School defeated ETMI 2 - 1 to advance to the finals. Willie Weah of World Wide Mission scored in the 20th minute followed by his teammate, William Sensee, with another goal in the 70th minute. Abdullah Sesay scored the lone goal for ETMI. Ambrose Wreh of Worldwide Mission was crowned Man of the Match.

This year's tournament is the 2nd Edition of the World Water Day Football and Kickball Championship which aims to enhance awareness of the global observance of World Water Day on March 22 and highlight the importance of water.

Over 2,000 students received basic information/education about the importance of cooperation and collaboration regarding the usage and protection of water sources amid ever-evolving climate conditions via a sports platform.

The tournament was organized by National High School Sports under the auspices of WaterAid Liberia in collaboration with the WASH Commission.

National High School Sports has collaborated on similar projects with a number of entities, including National Malaria Control Program/Global Fund (MHSW), Ministry of Finance, UNESCO, WaterAid Liberia, Central Bank of Liberia, Liberia Telecommunications Authority, The Last Well, etc.

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Credit card rates
• Balance transfer credit cards
• Business credit cards
• Cash back credit cards
• Rewards credit cards
• Travel credit cards
• Checking accounts
• Online checking accounts
• High-yield savings accounts
• Money market accounts
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Car insurance
• Home buying
• Options pit
• Investment ideas
• Research reports
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

World Water Day 2024: "Water for Peace"

Friday, March 22 is World Water Day. The theme of World Water Day 2024 is "Water for Peace."

In late 2023, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) announced the creation of a first-of-its kind Tribal Water Institute (TWI), a project to grow legal expertise and policy work around tribal water issues. Since that time, NARF staff have been hard at work obtaining funding for the project and creating a solid foundation and internal organization for the Tribal Water Institute's  work.

Never miss Indian Country’s biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning.

This World Water Day, NARF is happy to  welcome Daniel Cordalis  to the NARF family as a staff attorney and lead for the new institute's efforts.

"I am excited about NARF’s ability to expand its leadership in tribal water issues, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve Indian Country in this role,” NARF Staff Attorney Daniel Cordalis said. The TWI will increase tribal water law capacity through legal fellowships for early-career attorneys, develop policy and legal reform concepts, and grow collaboration in support of tribal water sovereignty.

“One of our first steps is to reach out to Tribal Nations and get input on how we can best support their water-related needs,” explained Cordalis. “Changing legal and jurisdictional frameworks affecting tribal water, as well as climate change impacting water supply and water quality, are creating stressors on water resources and ecosystems that we have not seen before. We plan to help Tribal Nations strategize approaches to these difficult issues.”

In looking to the future of the Tribal Water Institute, Cordalis envisions it as a centralized resource for tribal nations, academic institutions, and public and private organizations to work on tribal water issues in a collaborative manner. Cordalis explained, “Right now, we are creating a strategy to make the Tribal Water Institute as impactful as possible, grounded in the needs of Indian Country. Fortunately, we can build off the more-than-fifty-years of experience and successes the Native American Rights Fund has in providing legal expertise to Tribes forced to defend their rights in an increasingly competitive water landscape.”

Tribal Nations, organizations, philanthropic funders, and others interested in the project are invited to contact the TWI at  [email protected]  to learn more.

About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at [email protected]. "

Contact: [email protected]

Recommended Stories

Ufc atlantic city: chris weidman scores 1st win in 4 years after double-eye poke stops bruno silva.

TKO? No contest? Decision win? Chris Weidman's latest win was a weird one.

March Madness: Alabama pulls away from Clemson late to reach first ever Final Four

Behind a career night from freshman Jarin Stevenson, and a late surge from Mark Sears, Alabama is now headed to Phoenix.

March Madness: Caitlin Clark proves (again) she's much more than an elite scorer with absurd Sweet 16 stat line

Those familiar with Clark's game know she's much more than a bucket. She'll need to be just as on point as she was Saturday for Iowa to knock off defending champion LSU.

Bob Bowman, led by his Michael Phelps heir, wins the swimming title that Phelps never did

Arizona State won its first NCAA men's swimming championship on Saturday. The architects were Bob Bowman and his latest star pupil, Léon Marchand.

Donovan Mitchell remains non-committal on signing extension with Cavs as Dan Gilbert sounds confident

Mitchell will be eligible for a $200 million extension this summer. Will he sign it or keep open his option to test free agency?

March Madness: USC thwarts Baylor upset bid with late rally sparked by freshman star JuJu Watkins

USC got a sweat, but advanced to the Elite Eight. Watkins scored nine straight fourth-quarter points in a 30-point effort.

NYC’s business chatbot is reportedly doling out ‘dangerously inaccurate’ information

A report from The Markup that was co-published with the local nonprofit newsrooms Documented and The City revealed numerous instances in which NYC's business chatbot responded with incorrect information about city policies.

GM will be executing on its EV ambitions in 2024, says CEO Mary Barra

Decades of climbing the ladder while challenging conventional thinking have brought Mary Barra to the present — the year of delivering on ambitious EV goals at storied automaker General Motors (GM).

MIT tool shows climate change could cost Texans a month and a half of outdoor time by 2080

There are a lot of ways to describe what’s happening to the Earth’s climate: Global warming. Researchers at MIT might finally have an answer, though. Instead of predicting Category 5 hurricanes or record heat days, they’ve developed a tool that allows people to see how many “outdoor days” their region might experience from now through 2100 if carbon emissions growth remains unchecked.

The 25 best Walmart Easter weekend deals to shop this week — save up to 80% on TVs, tools, home goods and more

A Dyson-rivaling hair dryer for just $30, a rare markdown on classic Levis and an Emeril-approved air fryer for $100-plus off await.

Walgreens CEO: 'We are on a mission to achieve provider status for our pharmacists'

Walgreens is in the middle of a turnaround strategy. CEO Tim Wentworth sat down with Yahoo Finance to discuss the company's new focus.

High school athletes with NIL deals can face unexpected tax bills

As tax day approaches, parents of high school athletes with social media and NIL deals need to make sure that the IRS doesn’t come for their children’s assets.

Buy one, get one free Samsung smart TV? You bet — save hundreds with this unbelievable deal at Amazon

This deal even includes a discount on the entire package.

Brittney Griner stays in Phoenix on 1-year, $150K deal

Griner re-signed with the franchise that drafted her No. 1 overall and committed to supporting her return home from a Russian prison.

This Week in AI: Let us not forget the humble data annotator

This week in AI, I'd like to turn the spotlight on labeling and annotation startups -- startups like Scale AI, which is reportedly in talks to raise new funds at a $13 billion valuation. Labeling and annotation platforms might not get the attention flashy new generative AI models like OpenAI's Sora do. For example, labels to train an image recognition model might take the form of markings around objects, "bounding boxes" or captions referring to each person, place or object depicted in an image.

Bad sleep can make you feel years older, and a new study supports eating an avocado every day: The latest health news

What to know about the latest health news, from how to improve your diet with avocados to whether you should worry about drinking milk.

These 'game-changer' storage bags instantly organize a closet — and they're just over $2 apiece

Save over 60% on these moisture-proof, breathable, stackable space-savers that 14,000+ shoppers go bonkers over.

Photos of people looking at solar eclipses from 1907 to the present day

A collection of historical images of eclipse viewing from around the world.

Do you know how to read a nutrition label? Here's what to look for.

Nutrition labels are packed with information, but knowing how to read them and what to look for can help you choose healthier foods.

X is funding a lawsuit against Jack Dorsey's Block to support the 'right to freedom of speech'

X is funding a lawsuit filed by Chloe Happe against her former employer Block, which was founded by Jack Dorsey, the same person who founded the website formerly known as Twitter.

By the BOOK

Morgan Parker Says ‘Poetry Is Under Everything’ She Writes

Crafting the arguments in “You Get What You Pay For,” her first essay collection, “felt like pulling apart a long piece of taffy,” says the author of “Magical Negro.”

Credit... Rebecca Clarke

Supported by

• Share full article

What books are on your night stand?

The craft anthology “How We Do It,” edited by the great Jericho Brown, and Shayla Lawson’s astounding “How to Live Free in a Dangerous World.”

Describe your ideal reading experience (when, where, what, how).

Probably on the smoking patio of a wine bar at happy hour on a sunny day, with a pencil in my hand and Dorothy Ashby or Ambrose Akinmusire playing through noise-canceling headphones. Or just a quiet morning on my couch with coffee, so engrossed I forget to flip the record.

What’s the last book you read that made you laugh?

“Erasure,” by Percival Everett . I picked up a used copy at Shakespeare & Company recently — after seeing Cord Jefferson’s brilliant adaptation , “American Fiction” — and even on a reread, it made me laugh out loud from the first page.

The last book that made you cry?

Weird or obnoxious if I say my own? Before that, it was probably Y.A.

Do you count any books as guilty pleasures?

That category’s filled to the brim and beyond by reality TV.

How do you organize your books?

Loosely or not at all. This is much to the horror of my Virgo pals, and while I used to take pride in navigating my shelves on familiarity alone, it’s something I’ve vowed to work on. Still, I doubt I’ll ever be an alphabetical type, and clearly I find genre segregation constricting. I do group things thematically, or even interpersonally — music biographies, Black Panthers, Harlem Renaissance; Jessica Hopper is next to John Giorno, and Chase Berggrun’s “R E D” is next to “Dracula”; Julie Buntin’s “Marlena” is beside her husband Gabe Habash’s “Stephen Florida”; Alison C. Rollins is next to her partner Nate Marshall is next to his bestie José Olivarez. At some point Hilton Als’s “White Girls” ended up next to “Male Fantasies,” and I don’t think I’ll ever separate them.

Which genres do you avoid?

There’s an essay in “You Get What You Pay For” where I mention reading a self-help book (as recommended by my now-former psychiatrist). I’d never read one before and have not since.

How does your poetry relate to your essay writing?

The truth is that poetry is under everything. It’s the lyric and sensory backbone. It’s what drives the sound, pace and imagery. (Everyone knows the best prose writers write and read poetry.) But while a poem strives for precision of language, the essay strives for precision of thought, even argument. In a poem, you can build (or approximate) an argument by plopping two images next to each other. It persuades by pointing. Writing these essays felt like pulling apart a long piece of taffy — I found myself reiterating a lot of what I’ve already expressed in poems, so it almost became a project of stretching out each poetic line, breaking down each concept to its root. The process is about asking, pondering, searching — and letting language take part in the answering.

You have a knack for terrific book titles. How did you name your new collection?

Thank you! I love a good title, but I also acknowledge the high bar I have set for myself. With this one, I struggled a bit, I think because it took me a while to understand the book myself, let alone how to introduce it to the world. The essays encompass a lot of seemingly disparate themes and even tonal registers, so framing the overall collection was daunting. I’d been tossing around a couple of options, including “Cheaper Than Therapy,” which appears as an essay title, when Jay-Z made the choice for me. I was in Italy at a residency, grieving the recent loss of my aunt and watching the “Big Pimpin’” video over and over as I worked on an essay about it for the book. I’d left my heavily tabbed copy of “Decoded” at home in Los Angeles, but was scrolling a PDF for details about the video shoot when I came across the line: “If the price is life, then you better get what you paid for.”

You describe yourself as foolish for believing “words could be the pathway to empathy and writing an active resistance against hate.” Might publishing this book change your mind?

Honestly? It’s my only hope.

What’s the last book you recommended to a member of your family?

“Heavy,” by Kiese Laymon, to my mom; Blair LM Kelley’s “ Black Folk: The Roots of the Black Working Class,” to my dad; and “A Is for Activist,” to my 8-month-old cousin.

What do you plan to read next?

Phillip B. Williams’s “Ours” was just published, and I’ve been excited about it for literally years. Vinson Cunningham’s “Great Expectations” came out the same day as my book, so I plan to make that my tour read.

You’re organizing a literary dinner party. Which three writers, dead or alive, do you invite?

June Jordan, Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin — but I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t get just as much fun and fulfillment from a night with Angel Nafis, Danez Smith and Saeed Jones.

Explore More in Books

Want to know about the best books to read and the latest news start here..

James McBride’s novel sold a million copies, and he isn’t sure how he feels about that, as he considers the critical and commercial success  of “The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store.”

How did gender become a scary word? Judith Butler, the theorist who got us talking about the subject , has answers.

You never know what’s going to go wrong in these graphic novels, where Circus tigers, giant spiders, shifting borders and motherhood all threaten to end life as we know it .

When the author Tommy Orange received an impassioned email from a teacher in the Bronx, he dropped everything to visit the students  who inspired it.

Do you want to be a better reader?   Here’s some helpful advice to show you how to get the most out of your literary endeavor .

Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .

Advertisement

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

For Baltimore-area residents, bridge collapse means longer commutes, uncertain prospects

Laurel Wamsley

Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being hit by the Dali container vessel, as seen from Riviera Beach, Md., on Tuesday. Carol Guzy for NPR hide caption

Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being hit by the Dali container vessel, as seen from Riviera Beach, Md., on Tuesday.

For Marylanders like Becky Grimes, who works at an Amazon warehouse near the eastern end of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the bridge's sudden collapse immediately changed the shape of her day — and many days ahead.

She normally takes the Key Bridge to and from work, but it now takes an extra half hour each way to drive through the city of Baltimore instead of around it.

What we know and don't know about Baltimore's Key Bridge collapse

"I'm not looking forward to it," she says. "There's a lot of people that already want to transfer out."

The collapse of the bridge and the closure of the Port of Baltimore is upending life for countless people in the Chesapeake region.

For many residents, it's the bridge closure that will shake up their daily lives, lengthening commutes and clogging the city's tunnels.

But for the regional economy, the far bigger blow is that the fallen bridge and the container ship Dali are blocking the Port of Baltimore .

A sign warns drivers heading to Baltimore that the Francis Scott Key bridge is closed and to use alternate routes. Laurel Wamsley/NPR hide caption

A sign warns drivers heading to Baltimore that the Francis Scott Key bridge is closed and to use alternate routes.

"Because of the port being suspended, we don't have any traffic yesterday, today, at least for the next week or a week and a half," says Brent Howard, president of the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce. "That's money that we're losing every day because those ships are being redirected to other ports. Norfolk, Newark, Philadelphia are getting that revenue on a daily basis that was already slotted for Baltimore."

And the Key Bridge is a toll bridge that last year generated 7% of the total revenue for the state's transportation authority, according to an analysis by Moody's.

Mercedes, GM, Stellantis scramble; Port jobs are at risk after Baltimore disaster

Howard says getting the port and bridge running again is pivotal to the region , both economically and emotionally.

"We're the Chesapeake," he says. "Baltimore is really connected to the port and connected to water and connected to ships and vessels. That's something that's always been intrinsic to Baltimore's history, going back to our inception."

A bustling port, now in limbo

Brenda Cotsairis has seen the area weather its ups and downs. On Tuesday, she joined others at a lookout in Dundalk, Md., where the collapsed bridge was visible. Laurel Wamsley/NPR hide caption

Brenda Cotsairis has seen the area weather its ups and downs. On Tuesday, she joined others at a lookout in Dundalk, Md., where the collapsed bridge was visible.

As a little girl in the 1970s , Brenda Cotsairis's father brought her to a sandy beach to see the Key Bridge under construction.

She works at a local grocery store and has seen the area weather its ups and downs.

"For a lot of years, good jobs were gone and then things started to come back," she says. "And now we have Tradepoint Atlantic and we have the port bustling — it's a very, very busy port and it's thriving for Baltimore. And now it's devastated."

Baltimore's Key Bridge was built in the '70s, but has a deep and patriotic history

Daraius Irani, an economist at Towson University, estimates that the port's closure is costing between $10 million and $15 million a day in lost economic activity. And at least another $1 million a day in state and local taxes won't be collected while the port is closed.

Still, Irani says the port — which last year had its best year ever — should fully rebound. That's in part because Baltimore's port is about a day further inland than many others on the Eastern seaboard, putting it closer to points in the Midwest.

More from WYPR in Baltimore:

• No immediate public health hazards from Dali, Maryland gets $60M for cleanup
• Maryland lawmakers want to expand state of emergency powers in wake of bridge collapse
• Baltimore Orioles Opening Day now, 'Reopening Day' to come, governor promises
• Shipping closure at Port of Baltimore could have worldwide economic impacts

For the latest from member station WYPR in Baltimore head to wypr.org

He says if the port remains closed for months, there could be some furloughs, but he doesn't expect layoffs among workers there. And Irani says the bridge's collapse will likely create some jobs.

"You hate to say this, but in any kind of disaster, there's obviously the opportunity for the rebuild. So new construction jobs will likely come up because they need to build a new bridge," he says.

Businesses near the bridge could see fewer customers

The town of Dundalk is among the Maryland communities near the Key Bridge likely to see less traffic while the bridge is down. Laurel Wamsley/NPR hide caption

The town of Dundalk is among the Maryland communities near the Key Bridge likely to see less traffic while the bridge is down.

The bridge's absence will almost certainly have a longer impact on the small businesses located near its entrances on either side of the Patapsco River.

Joe Gold is the general manager of Key Brewing, a craft brewery in the town of Dundalk. Like the bridge, the brewery was named after Francis Scott Key, who wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner."

"We're not shut down I mean, it's not like that," Gold said Wednesday. "It's just ... the community is going to have to readjust."

With the Key Bridge closed, the traffic that would have passed by to get on I-695 is now taking alternate routes — routes that don't pass by Key Brewing's taproom.

"When I came to work this morning, past 95 to our office, it was the least amount of traffic that I've ever seen on my commute," Gold says.

He says that's a sign that people aren't coming that direction anymore, at least during their daily commutes.

Loss of ship's power and stiff current may have led to bridge collision, experts say

Is he worried about his business surviving? Not just yet.

"It's still too early," he says. "It's still too fresh to kind of know how deep of an impact this is going to have."

It all depends on how long it takes to clear the port — and rebuild a very long bridge.

• Francis Scott Key Bridge
• Baltimore bridge collapse
• Small Businesses

Illinois' largest water park reveals opening date for 2024 season, offers discounted tickets

The water park is set to open for the 2024 season june 1, by nbc chicago staff • published march 29, 2024 • updated on march 29, 2024 at 9:30 am.

Illinois' largest water park is slashing its ticket prices for one day only ahead of the summer waterpark season.

In a one-day promotion only valid on Friday, Mar. 29, Raging Waves in Yorkville is offering 50% off "Any Day" tickets. The promotion, part of an Easter deal, will discount general admission tickets from $55 to $27.50.

Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.

The discount is valid on any general admission day throughout the 2024 season. It cannot be combined with other offers, the Waterpark said. Parking is an additional fee.

According to the terms and conditions, tickets do not have to be purchased for infants under the age of one.

The 58-acre water park is located at 4000 N. Bridge Street. It is set to open June 1, with the 2024 season running through Sept. 2.

More information on the promotion and the water park can be found on Raging Waves website here.

This article tagged under:

Water Conservation Essay

500+ words essay on water conservation.

Water makes up 70% of the earth as well as the human body. There are millions of marine species present in today’s world that reside in water. Similarly, humankind also depends on water. All the major industries require water in some form or the other. However, this precious resource is depleting day by day. The majority of the reasons behind it are man-made only. Thus, the need for water conservation is more than ever now. Through this water conservation essay, you will realize how important it is to conserve water and how scarce it has become.

Water Scarcity- A Dangerous Issue

Out of all the water available, only three per cent is freshwater. Therefore, it is essential to use this water wisely and carefully. However, we have been doing the opposite of this till now.

Every day, we keep exploiting water for a variety of purposes. In addition to that, we also keep polluting it day in and day out. The effluents from industries and sewage discharges are dispersed into our water bodies directly.

Moreover, there are little or no facilities left for storing rainwater. Thus, floods have become a common phenomenon. Similarly, there is careless use of fertile soil from riverbeds. It results in flooding as well.

Therefore, you see how humans play a big role in water scarcity. Living in concrete jungles have anyway diminished the green cover. On top of that, we keep on cutting down forests that are a great source of conserving water.

Nowadays, a lot of countries even lack access to clean water. Therefore, water scarcity is a real thing. We must deal with it right away to change the world for our future generations. Water conservation essay will teach you how.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Water Conservation Essay – Conserving Water

Life without water is not possible. We need it for many things including cleaning, cooking, using the washroom, and more. Moreover, we need clean water to lead a healthy life.

We can take many steps to conserve water on a national level as well as an individual level. Firstly, our governments must implement efficient strategies to conserve water. The scientific community must work on advanced agricultural reforms to save water.

Similarly, proper planning of cities and promotion of water conservation through advertisements must be done. On an individual level, we can start by opting for buckets instead of showers or tubs.

Also, we must not use too much electricity. We must start planting more trees and plants. Rainwater harvesting must be made compulsory so we can benefit from the rain as well.

Further, we can also save water by turning off the tap when we brush our teeth or wash our utensils. Use a washing machine when it is fully loaded. Do not waste the water when you wash vegetables or fruit, instead, use it to water plants.

All in all, we must identify water scarcity as a real issue as it is very dangerous. Further, after identifying it, we must make sure to take steps to conserve it. There are many things that we can do on a national level as well as an individual level. So, we must come together now and conserve water.

FAQ of Water Conservation Essay

Question 1: Why has water become scarce?

Answer 1: Water has become scarce due to a lot of reasons most of which are human-made. We exploit water on a daily basis. Industries keep discharging their waste directly into water bodies. Further, sewage keeps polluting the water as well.

Question 2: How can we conserve water?

Answer 2: The government must plan cities properly so our water bodies stay clean. Similarly, water conservation must be promoted through advertisements. On an individual level, we can start by fixing all our leaky taps. Further, we must avoid showers and use buckets instead to save more water.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App