22 March is World Water Day, established by the United Nations in 1992.
On this day, the United Nations invites members to promote concrete activities within their countries to draw public attention to the most pressing problems related to water consumption, from access to fresh water to the sustainability of aquatic habitats. According to UN reports, 2 billion people currently live without access to clean water.
One of the main objectives of the Day is to inspire action to achieve water and sanitation for all by 2030, raising awareness among global institutions and the public about the importance of reducing water wastage and taking action to combat climate change.
This year’s theme is the link between water and climate change, with a focus on groundwater reserves.
As climate change worsens, access to groundwater will become increasingly critical. Exploring, protecting and sustainably using groundwater will be “critical to surviving and adapting to climate change” and meeting the needs of “a growing population”, notes the United Nations World Water Resources Development Report 2022.
“Despite its enormous importance, this natural resource is often overlooked and consequently undervalued, poorly managed and even overexploited in many areas, where more water is extracted from aquifers than is recharged by rain and snow,” reads the focus on Groundwater: making the invisible resource visible.
Italians are among the citizens of Europe who waste the most when it comes to water consumption. Personal consumption in Italy is 220 litres compared to the European average of 165 litres. And only one Italian in two is aware of the problem.
However, Italians are implementing some small behaviours to reduce their consumption: 73% turn off the taps when not necessary and use the dishwasher only when fully loaded, 49% undertake to take shorter showers, 67% prefer the shower to the bathtub. Fundamental attentions to the protection of water, which allow us to save on the consumption of energy resources, such as electricity and gas.
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