On March 22, organizations around the world to focus on critical role of groundwater.

(WESTERVILLE, OH — March 18, 2022) The National Ground Water Association, along with countries and organizations from around the world, will be celebrating World Water Day on March 22. This year, the focus of World Water Day will be the role groundwater plays in the lives of more than a billion people every day.

World Water Day was started by the United Nations in 1993 and has continued as an annual observance that celebrates water and raises awareness of the two billion people currently living without proper access to clean and safe water. In recent years, World Water Day has also become a day to advocate toward Sustainable Development Goal 6, which is about “clean water and sanitation for all” by 2030.

This year’s campaign, “Groundwater — Making the Invisible Visible,” will strive to create greater awareness of groundwater’s global role in drinking water, sanitation, agriculture, industry, ecosystems, and climate change adaptation. As part of these efforts, the U.N. is working with partners to expand groundwater education and increase advocacy efforts focusing on groundwater sustainability.

“A resource like groundwater, which is absolutely vital to our world but largely invisible, must constantly be brought to the forefront of the global water conversation,” said NGWA CEO Terry S. Morse, CAE, CIC. “This is why we could not be more excited that the U.N. has decided to focus its efforts on the importance of groundwater and the effort we all must make to protect its future in the world.”

In support of World Water Day, NGWA will be promoting its educational materials through The Groundwater Foundation and resources for private water well owners to test, tend, and treat their private water systems.

In the United States, it is estimated more than 40 million people depend on private water wells and 40 percent of the total population rely on groundwater for daily use from public and private sources.

For more groundwater facts, you can visit Groundwater.org.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact NGWA Public Relations and Government Affairs Manager Ben Frech at bfrech@ngwa.org or (614) 898-7791, ext. 1570.

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The National Ground Water Association is a not-for-profit professional society and trade association for the global groundwater industry. Our members around the world include leading public and private sector groundwater scientists, engineers, water well system professionals, manufacturers, and suppliers of groundwater-related products and services. The Association’s vision is to be the leading groundwater association advocating for responsible development, management, and use of water.