Context

• Day- World Water Day is held every year on “22 March” to increase awareness on crucial importance of water to all living things.
• Theme- Theme of the Year 2023 is “Accelerating Change to solve the water and sanitation crisis”

Origin

• This day was first formally proposed in Agenda 21 of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• In December 1992, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution by which 22 March of each year was declared World Water Day.

Organisations Involved and Related Activities

• UN Water is the convener of the World Water Day and selects the theme for each year in consultation with UN organizations that share an interest in that year's focus.
• UN-Water also releases the The United Nations World Water Development Report (WWDR) produced annually by the World Water Assessment Programme on World Water Day.
• UN 2023 Water Conference will also open on World Water Day, 22 March 2023 in which Water Action Agenda will be launched.

Sustainable Development Goals

• Sustainable Development Goal- 6 is related to the issue of Clean Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. Target under SDG-6 to be achieved by 2030 are as follows:

• Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
• Achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all.
• End open defecation, with special attention to the needs of women and girls.

Facts About Water Resources in India

• Demand for water in India is projected to double from 23.2 trillion litres to 47 trillion litres between 2015- 2025.
• During the same period, domestic demand is expected to grow by 40 percent to 55 trillion litres.
• The irrigation sector is the major consumer of groundwater, accounting for 92 percent annually. It will require 14 percent more—592 trillion litres up.
• The annual groundwater resource of India has been estimated at 433 billion cubic meter, of which 399 bcm is considered to be available for various uses.
• According to the NITI Aayog in 2019, 75 percent of households do not have drinking water on premise and about 84 percent of rural households do not even have piped water access.
• There is a need to focus more on the judicious use of ground water along with hygiene and sanitation.