Tag Archives: world water day

Infrastructure, Sustainability

Water Is a Limited Resource We Can’t Live Without

polar-bear-484515_640As World Water Day 2016 approaches (March 22) , I’d like to share this throwback Thursday blog post with you as a reminder that water is a limited resource, without which life cannot be sustained.

As more and more cities are showing signs of water stress due to aging infrastructure, we must pay attention to the fact that Americans are being poisoned by their water supplies – and that is a public health crisis.

As we shared in 2015, “According to the World Water Development Report by the United Nations “A 40% shortfall of freshwater would be experienced as soon as 15 years.” Eight cities throughout the world were cited to witness severe fresh water shortages due to failing infrastructure, saltwater intrusion, sewage and plumbing failures, population growth, and pollution. The report went on to recommend actions of”… read more.

More about World Water Day: World Water Day is an international observance and an opportunity to learn more about water related issues, be inspired to tell others and take action to make a difference.

Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of water. For 2016, the theme is  ‘Water and Jobs’, to focus on the correlation between water, work and the push for sustainable development.

Rainwater Catchment, Rainwater Harvesting Education

Water and Sustainable Development

UN World Water Day logoOn World Water Day 2015, ARCSA, as well as dozens of other organizations, stepped up to encourage the use of rainwater collection as a vital tool in efforts to deal with local and global water-related issues existing today. According to ARCSA, “Rainwater provides numerous benefits: 

  • Rainwater is a valuable resource that is underutilized.  Its harvest and use can alleviate challenges related to water resources, potable, non-potable, and stormwater, and energy for pumping water. 
  • Local rainwater harvesting solutions enhance water security and provide important relief to households and communities. All around the world, rainwater infiltration, and collection, storage and use offer benefits for the environment, wildlife and humans, e.g. improved water quality and availability for urban areas, industry and agriculture. 
  • It is time for rainwater catchment to be included in the development plans of all governmental agencies as part of their integrated watershed management strategies. 
  • Introduction of the concept of rainwater management – maximizing rain’s benefits as a vital resource while minimizing potential rain hazards – to curricula of technical schools and universities will bring future benefits to urban planning, architectural and agricultural projects.”

The United Nations has designated March 22 as World Water Day, celebrated annually, and this year the focus topic was Sustainable Development and how water links to all areas – health, nature, urbanization, industry, energy, development and food.  See more below:

In conjunction with World Water Day, the UN releases its comprehensive annual report – the World Water Development Report, which addresses world water issues and promotes sustainability.

Click here to download the full report, which offers several anecdotes and case studies of how rainwater harvesting is being used worldwide to mitigate the effects of over population, aging infrastructure, drought and stretched resources.