Water on the agenda

March 22nd marks World Water Day, established by the UN in 1993 to highlight water issues. This year's theme, developed by UN Water, is groundwater – an invisible resource that we must never take for granted.

This year's theme is developed by UN Water and in conjunction with World Water Day, the report The UN World Water Development Report 2022 "Groundwater - making the invisible visible" is released.

About the background to this year's theme, UN Water comments:
”Groundwater is invisible, but its impact is visible everywhere. Out of sight, beneath our feet, groundwater is a hidden treasure that enriches our lives. Almost all the liquid freshwater in the world is groundwater. As climate change worsens, groundwater will become more and more critical. We must work together to sustainably manage this precious resource. Groundwater may be invisible, but it must not go unnoticed.”

A central part of World Water Day is to inspire action to achieve the UN's global goals for sustainable development, the 2030 Agenda and Goal 6, Clean water and sanitation for all, by 2030.

Water is a basic requirement for all life on earth, and therefore also a prerequisite for human health and sustainable development. Water is also a prerequisite for the world's food production and energy production, as well as for industries. Yet one in three people worldwide lives without access to basic sanitation today, which causes disease and hits people living in poverty particularly hard.

How you can contribute

In Sweden we have access to fantastic drinking water, our most controlled food, 24/7 on tap. It is delicious, healthy, locally produced and costs only 0.5 öre per liter (source: Svenskt Vatten). The price also includes protection of water sources, treatment of wastewater and management of stormwater. APPLiA member Wilfa has amazing carbonation machines which means you never have to lug bottled water home again.

Households use an average of 140 liters of drinking water per person per day. The figure is based on statistics from water meters all over Sweden. This is a slowly decreasing trend, i.e. decreasing water use per person. A contributing factor is increased awareness and water-efficient products, such as dishwashers and washing machines.

See the article on how to wash your outdoor garments sustainably from APPLiAnytt #07 here! Extra good tips like this as the spring equinox approaches and we will soon be putting away our winter clothes for the season.

During #WorldWaterDay, committed individuals, companies and organizations can share their initiatives related to World Water Day.