Estimated 2.6 billion People Worldwide Lack Access to Adequate Sanitation
DENVER, March 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Water Works Association (AWWA), the authoritative resource on safe water, today joined the United Nations, Water for People and water advocates throughout the world in recognizing World Water Day, observed March 22, 2008.
The theme for World Water Day 2008 is "Sanitation Matters." This year's theme highlights the fact that "adequate sanitation to protect health is considered a fundamental human right." Unfortunately, for roughly half the developing world, safe and reliable water is not accessible. The result is the daily tragedy of waterborne disease, which claims thousands of lives each day.
"Safe water and sanitation are vital to human health and are critical for the stability of nations around the globe," said AWWA Executive Director Gary Zimmerman. "In North America, clean water is often taken for granted, but World Water Day creates an opportunity to think about the extraordinary value of our precious water supplies and advanced water treatment and delivery systems.
"World Water Day asks us all to become more aware of how our actions affect our water supplies, and encourages the development of a culture which recognizes the life-giving value of water," Zimmerman added. "AWWA encourages all its members and water customers to support organizations like Water for People, which work to improve water sanitation and prevent the tragedy of waterborne disease across the globe." More information on World Water Day 2008 can be found at http://www.worldwaterday.org/ More information on Water for People can be found at http://www.waterforpeople.org/ AWWA is the authoritative resource for knowledge, information, and advocacy to improve the quality and supply of water in North America and beyond. AWWA is the largest organization of water professionals in the world. AWWA advances public health, safety and welfare by uniting the efforts of the full spectrum of the entire water community. Through our collective strength we become better stewards of water for the greatest good of the people and the environment. DATASOURCE: American Water Works Association CONTACT: Kylah Hedding of AWWA, +1-303-347-6140, Web Site: http://www.waterforpeople.org/ http://www.worldwaterday.org/
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