World Water Day 2018: Facts And Quotes To Share To Raise Awareness

Thursday is World Water Day, an annual celebration initiated by the United Nations to raise awareness about water scarcity and how to preserve and use it safely. Even though water covers almost three-fourths of the Earth’s surface, there are many regions that are severely deprived of it.

"The theme for World Water Day 2018 is ‘Nature for Water’ – exploring nature-based solutions to the water challenges we face in the 21st century," according to the official website. "Damaged ecosystems affect the quantity and quality of water available for human consumption. Today, 2.1 billion people live without safe drinking water at home; affecting their health, education and livelihoods... Sustainable Development Goal 6 commits the world to ensuring that everyone has access to safe water by 2030, and includes targets on protecting the natural environment and reducing pollution."

This year, World Water Day turns 25 and to celebrate the occasion, here are some facts and quotes about water, courtesy of Water.org.

Facts:

1. Today, 844 million people are living without access to safe water, while 2.3 billion people are living without access to improved sanitation.

2. Each year, 1 million people are killed by water, sanitation and hygiene-related diseases.

3. Ninety-five percent of the water used daily is wasted.

4. The world’s total water supply equates to 332.5 million cubic miles.

5. In 2015, the U.N. agreed to a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030 for the improvement of water.

Quotes:

6. “Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.” — W.H. Auden

7. “If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.” — Loren Eisley

8. "Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it." — Lao Tzu

9. “Water is the driving force of all nature.” — Leonardo da Vinci

10. “For many of us, clean water is so plentiful and readily available that we rarely, if ever, pause to consider what life would be like without it.” — Marcus Samuelsson