World Water Day is to encourage everyone to conserve water and promote the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, including ensuring universal access to water and sanitation by 2030.
Water scarcity is affecting several nations throughout the world. It is a result of expanding population and greater use of freshwater sources. Every year on March 22, World Water Day has been held to promote public awareness about the significance of water.
The day’s primary vision is to encourage people to conserve water.The day also urges increased support for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The sixth SDG aims to deliver water and sanitation to everyone by 2030.
Theme- Highlighting the Issue
Every year, World Water Day is commemorated with a different theme to promote awareness about natural resource protection. ‘Groundwater – Making the Invisible Visible’ is the subject this year.
The issue focuses on the role of groundwater in agriculture, industry, hygiene, and global warming adaptation.According to UNESCO, groundwater makes up half of the water used for domestic purposes across the globe. Groundwater includes drinking water for the people who do not get their water from public or private sources.
“As the earth adjusts to a changing climate and a population increase, groundwater will become more important in supplying the growing need for food and drinking water.” “However, this essential resource is at risk from a lack of protection and sometimes irreversible pollution,” said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, in this year’s message on World Water Day.
Background
World Water Day originated during the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The decision to celebrate this day gets passed by the United Nations General Assembly on December 22, 1992. According to the UN decision, March 22nd gets proclaimed as World Water Day. The day gets observed annually.
Observing the Event
World Water Day gets celebrated by people and businesses every year. They perform tasks like holding panels, seminars, and debates to make people aware of how important it is to save freshwater.
According to UNESCO’s official website, the World Water Forum will be held from March 21 to March 26 this year to observe the event. A World Water Development Report will also be published to promote awareness about the techniques and policies necessary for sustainable freshwater utilization.
Ways to Save Groundwater
Groundwater helps people and ecosystems, and it should get safeguarded from pollution and overuse.
- Respect chemical disposal.
- Bring used oil to a recycler.
- Use less fertilizer on plants.
- Shower for just a few minutes.
- Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
- Do laundry and dishes in full loads.
- Fix any leaking faucets.
- Abandon any unnecessary wells.
- Refrigerate a pitcher of water.
- Participate in water education.
In the battle against the coronavirus pandemic, we must wash our hands every 20 minutes and take all possible precautions to avoid infection. So, saving water is much more vital. Let us all contribute.
Edited by-Subbuthai Padma
Published by Iram Rizvi
