World Water Day 2022

World Water Day is on 22 March every year. It is an annual United Nations Observance, started in 1993, that celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2 billion people currently living without access to safe water. A core focus of World Water Day is to inspire action towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.

This year’s theme is ‘groundwater’ and draws attention to the hidden water resource that has always been critically important but not fully recognized in sustainable development policymaking. Groundwater is invisible, but its impact is visible everywhere. Out of sight, under our feet, groundwater is a hidden treasure that enriches our lives. Almost all of the liquid freshwater in the world is groundwater. As climate change gets worse, groundwater will become more and more critical.  We need to work together to sustainably manage this precious resource. Groundwater may be out of sight, but it must not be out of mind. 

To raise awareness on sustaining groundwater, Elsevier presents a curated list of publicly available journal articles and book chapters. At Elsevier, we are advancing #SDG6 research and ensuring that #groundwater is sustainably explored, analyzed, and monitored.

Following are the themes, objectives, and global initiatives undertaken to address water scarcity and quality issues.

I. Themes and Objectives

Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific theme to focus global attention on pressing water-related issues. For 2022, the theme centers on addressing water scarcity, improving water quality, and ensuring sustainable solutions to water management.

Key objectives of World Water Day 2022 include:

Raising awareness: Increase understanding of the importance of water resources and the need for sustainable water management practices.

Supporting action: Encourage governments, organizations, and individuals to take action to improve water management and address water-related challenges.

Sharing knowledge: Promote the exchange of best practices, research, and innovative solutions to water challenges among various stakeholders.

Fostering partnerships: Strengthen collaboration among governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector to achieve global water goals.

II. Global Water Challenges

World Water Day 2022 emphasizes the urgent need to address the following global water challenges:

Water scarcity: Nearly 2 billion people live in areas experiencing high water stress, with increasing demand for water resources due to population growth, urbanization, and climate change.

Water quality: Pollution from agricultural, industrial, and domestic activities poses significant risks to human health and ecosystems, with millions of people lacking access to clean drinking water.

Inadequate sanitation: Over 2 billion people worldwide lack access to basic sanitation services, contributing to the spread of waterborne diseases and negatively impacting public health.

Climate change: Extreme weather events and changing precipitation patterns exacerbate water challenges, including droughts, floods, and the contamination of freshwater sources.

III. Initiatives and Solutions

World Water Day 2022 serves as a platform for launching and showcasing various initiatives and solutions to address global water challenges. Some examples include:

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM): This holistic approach to water management considers the social, economic, and environmental aspects of water resources to ensure their sustainable use.

Water conservation and efficiency: Implementing water-saving measures, improving irrigation practices, and promoting the efficient use of water resources can help alleviate water scarcity.

Water treatment and reuse: Investing in advanced water treatment technologies and promoting wastewater reuse can improve water quality and reduce the pressure on freshwater sources.

Climate-resilient water infrastructure: Developing infrastructure that can withstand the impacts of climate change, such as drought-resistant water supply systems, can help ensure long-term water security.

World Water Day 2022 is an important opportunity to raise awareness of the critical role of water in our lives and the challenges faced by many communities in accessing clean and safe water. By focusing on addressing water scarcity, improving water quality, and ensuring sustainable solutions, this global observance encourages action, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration among various stakeholders. Through concerted efforts, it is possible to overcome these challenges and ensure the availability of clean and safe water for all, now and in the future.

IV. Engaging in World Water Day Activities

Individuals, organizations, and communities around the world can participate in World Water Day 2022 by engaging in various activities that promote awareness and action. Some suggestions for participation include:

Organizing events: Host workshops, webinars, or panel discussions focusing on water-related issues and solutions, featuring experts from different sectors.

Promoting education: Develop educational materials and conduct school-based activities to teach children and young people about the importance of water conservation and sustainable water management.

Advocacy and awareness campaigns: Use social media platforms, local media outlets, and public events to raise awareness about water challenges and share information on how individuals can contribute to solving these issues.

Volunteering and community engagement: Participate in local initiatives to improve water management, such as river clean-ups, water quality monitoring, or tree planting to reduce soil erosion and improve water retention.

V. The Role of SDG Resources in Supporting World Water Day

The SDG Resources platform plays a crucial role in supporting World Water Day by providing access to research, data, and information related to water management and sustainability. By sharing knowledge and fostering collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, SDG Resources contributes to the global effort to address water challenges and promote sustainable solutions.

World Water Day 2022 is a critical opportunity to galvanize global efforts to address water scarcity, improve water quality, and ensure sustainable water management practices. By raising awareness, supporting action, sharing knowledge, and fostering partnerships, we can work together to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, ensuring that everyone has access to clean and safe water for generations to come.

Table of contents

Elsevier,

Natural Polymers-Based Green Adsorbents for Water Treatment, 2021, Pages 93-109

This chapter advances SDG 6 by discussing recent advancement in the usage of nanocellulose as an adsorbent for water and wastewater treatment and by highlighting current challenges and limitations related to nanocellulose derived material applications at an industrial scale.
Elsevier,

Natural Polymers-Based Green Adsorbents for Water Treatment, 2021, Pages 131-158

This chapter advances SDG 6 by presenting an overview of the development of polymeric adsorbents from different agrowastes along with used physical and methods with their success and shortcomings.
Elsevier,

Global Groundwater. Source, Scarcity, Sustainability, Security, and Solutions, 2021, Pages 503-517

This chapter advances SDG 6 by presenting opportunities for groundwater and how information can be shared across disciplines- e.g. Many commercial operations (e.g., oil and gas, geothermal, mining) create a wealth of geological and hydrogeological information in their everyday exploration activities that can be used by groundwater professionals.
Elsevier,

Global Groundwater. Source, Scarcity, Sustainability, Security, and Solutions, 2021, Pages 577-583

This chapter advances SDG 6 by presenting an overview and consideration for groundwater desalination, including a framework tool.
Elsevier,

Water Conservation in the Era of Global Climate Change, 2021, Pages 23-45

This chapter advances SDG 6 by presenting major challenges and opportunities concerning groundwater utilization and climate sustainability.
Elsevier,

Emerging Freshwater Pollutants. Analysis, Fate and Regulations, 2022, Pages 119-135

Links to SDG6 and the theme of WWD as it covers the presence of emerging pollutants in aquatic systems such as rivers, lakes, groundwater, glaciers, wetlands, the ocean poses significant risks to human and environmental health.
Elsevier,

Innovative Exploration Methods for Minerals, Oil, Gas, and Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 2022, Pages 193-211

This chapter advances SDG 6 by presenting an overview of a low-cost technique for investigating groundwater flow and mapping a contaminated zone in the subsurface.
Elsevier,

Clean Energy and Resources Recovery. Biomass Waste Based Biorefineries, Volume 1, 2021, Pages 465-486

This chapter advances SDGs 6 & 7 by presenting membrane technologies that can be used to purify wastewater and produce biomass for energy.
Elsevier,

Clean Energy and Resources Recovery. Biomass Waste Based Biorefineries, Volume 1, 2021, Pages 145-154

This chapter advances SDGs 6 & 7 by discussing how to convert gelatinous industry wastewater into useful chemicals and fuels.
Elsevier,

Clean Energy and Resource Recovery. Wastewater Treatment Plants as Biorefineries, Volume 2, 2022, Pages 301-314

This chapter advances SDGs 6 & 7 by examining the potential for wastewater to be converted into a renewable fossil-fuel alternative.
Elsevier,

Clean Energy and Resource Recovery. Wastewater Treatment Plants as Biorefineries, Volume 2, 2022, Pages 17-36

This chapter advances SDGs 6 & 7 by critically examining the recent developments, opportunities, market possibilities, and barriers in resource recovery in wastewater treatment plants.
Elsevier,

Handbook of Algal Biofuels. Aspects of Cultivation, Conversion, and Biorefinery, 2022, Pages 167-179

This chapter advances SDGs 6 & 7 by describing the use of halophilic algae for the desalination of seawater for drinking and other uses.
Elsevier,

Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, Volume 102, January 2022

This paper cautions that the adoption of electric vehicles with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions must balance that beneficial effect against increased water consumption. It recommends battery electric vehicles charged by solar energy as the best solution.
Figure showing a schematic of experiment procedures for synthesis of bismuth composites. DI water, deionized water.
Elsevier,

Materials Today Sustainability, Volume 10, December 2020

Iodide and bromide ions in surface and ground waters can react with natural organic matters and produce toxic disinfectant by-products. A novel bismuth composite material has been developed for the removal of iodides and bromides at parts per million concentrations.
Elsevier,

Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, Volume 243, December 2021

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water pose a serious threat to human health due to their toxic effects. This manuscript evaluates various drinking water treatment processes to remove these compounds from drinking water, in order to assure the quality of water intended for human consumption.
Figure showing the Global Occurrence (a) and number of affected people (b) due to floods and droughts, based on EM-DAT data (1993–2018).
Elsevier,

Progress in Disaster Science, Volume 8, December 2020

This paper examines the global trends and main health impacts of these events based on databases and case studies, identifies gaps in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicator framework for monitoring health impacts of disasters and suggests recommendations to address these gaps.
Graphical abstract
Elsevier,

Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, Volume 37, October 2021

This study applies a two-step validation method of a groundwater potential mapping approach and can improve groundwater mapping for data scarce regions.
Figure showing the stepwise procedure for the preparation of bi-sorbents and removal of heavy metals from water.
Elsevier,

Current Research in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, Volume 3, June 2020

This research explores the use of indigenous waste plant materials for an easy and cost-effective approach for the removal of heavy metals from water.
Elsevier,

Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Volume 123, October 2021

This study provides new insights into the potential use of machine learning in hydrological simulations.
Figure showing the institutional structure in water resources management in Azerbaijan.
Elsevier,

Sustainable Futures, Volume 2, January 2020

In this paper, the objective is to analyze the water management in Azerbaijan to ensure the country's water safety by improving the efficiency of water management and consumption.
Figure showing the conceptualization of water security
Elsevier,

One Earth, Volume 4, 18 June 2021

This review article examines observed and projected climate change impacts on water security across the world's drylands to the year 2100.
Figure showing the spatio-temporal viewpoint of FEW nexus thinking.
Elsevier,

Progress in Disaster Science, Volume 1, May 2019

This study identifies the key barriers to operationalizing FEW nexus at ground level and underlines the need for urban-rural shared perspectives in resource management.
Figure showing WASH-GEM themes.
Elsevier,

Women's Studies International Forum, Volume 91, 1 March 2022

A right to clean water is one of the global SDGs and is especially important for women.
Elsevier,

The Lancet Global Health, Volume 9, March 2021

This Viewpoint supports SDGs 3, 6, and 7 by discussing some of the reasons why many of the innovations and technologies for WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) and household air pollution developed in recent decades have not led to the expected improvements in health outcomes, and why many of these interventions have either been inconsistently adopted by low-income households, or not adopted at all.
Elsevier,

Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Volume 122, June 2021

This article discusses the radiological safety of groundwater around a uranium mine in Namibia.
Elsevier,

Water Resources and Economics, Volume 33, January 2021

This study analyzes the effects of a local water market formation on the efficiency of groundwater use productivity. These results demonstrate the role of a market-based groundwater allocation approach under water scarcity conditions.
Various microorganisms as a source of green technology used for bio-inspired wastewater treatment (WWT).
Elsevier, Current Research in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, Volume 5, January 2022
Overuse of water has led to the degradation and scarcity of limited water resources, which prompted the modern world to adopt sustainable measures to save water by increasing its reuse and recycling. The use of microbial-based green technology to treat wastewater has appeared to outweigh conventional wastewater treatment (WWT) technologies because this emerging technology overcomes many of the shortcomings of conventional treatment systems.
Elsevier,

The Lancet Planetary Health, Volume 6, January 2022

This Personal View supports SDGs 3 and 6 by suggesting a scale-specific approach in which agricultural water use is embedded in a larger systems approach to allow the design of effective incentives to change and optimise agricultural water use.
Graphical abstract
Elsevier,

One Earth, Volume 4, 19 February 2021

This article examines how improved water security affects the success of other SDGs, when all the goals are examined simultaneously.
Elsevier,

Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Volume 100, August 2017

Calibrated models can reasonably capture descriptions between input and output variables and can thus be used to estimate long term groundwater levels.
Elsevier,

Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 77, February 2022

This paper presents a water resilience assessment framework that includes a set of resilience indicators that will guide in building urban water resilience.
Graphical abstract
Elsevier,

One Earth, Volume 4, 19 March 2021

A hydro-economic assessment of the headwaters of the Nile River revealed the upstream-downstream linkages and interconnections among socio-economic development, climate change, and the environment.
Elsevier,

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, Volume 35, April 2019

Groundwater storage (GWS) – a hidden resource underneath the land surface, plays a critical role in sustaining irrigated agriculture in these river basins, particularly during the dry season when rice crops are generally grown in irrigated lands across South Asia. Although monitoring of groundwater levels has been operational in the region for a number of decades, a basin-wide comprehensive assessment of GWS is lacking in most river basins.
Elsevier,

Materials Today Advances, Volume 13, March 2022

In this review, the authors summarize the latest understanding on the detection, concentration, and evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater.
Figure showing the great variety of common pollutants and pollutants of emerging concern in water.
Elsevier,

Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, Volume 29, June 2021

Pharmaceuticals are an important group of potential EDCs (endocryne disrupting compounds) in groundwater and surface water. Photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceuticals and organic contaminants is described for nanotubular structures.
Elsevier,

Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Volume 112, August 2019

This paper relates to remote sensing of water use and water stress in the African savanna ecosystem at a local scale, as well as the development and validation of a monitoring tool.
Elsevier,

Journal of Membrane Science, Volume 634, 15 September 2021

This paper touches upon virus removal technology for groundwater remediation.
Elsevier,

Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Volume 115, February 2020

The use of crop evapotranspiration data has allowed the estimation of crop water requirements and consumptive groundwater use.
Elsevier,

Land Use Policy, Volume 109, October 2021

In an urbanized catchment, land use has a strong effect on water quality. The majority of the landscape metrics are correlated with Ave River Basin water quality. Water quality is dependent on landscape planning. Ave River Basin requires landscape intervention to restore hydric resources.
Elsevier,

The Lancet Global Health, Volume 8, September 2020

This study supports SDGs 3 and 6 by analysing data from 88 low-income and middle-income countries and showing geographical disparities in access to clean water and sanitation facilities. These findings identify where efforts to increase access to safe water and sanitation have been successful over time, and highlight the need for targeted and tailored interventions to reach those communities and regions that have been left behind.
Graphical abstract
Elsevier,

Materials Today, Volume 50, November 2021

In this review, the authors discuss the drivers, fundamental science, and potential enabling materials for high selectivity membranes, as well as their applications in different water treatment processes.
Elsevier,

Sustainable Energy, Grids and Networks, Volume 24, December 2020

The demand-supply balance of electricity systems is fundamentally linked to climate conditions.
Elsevier,

Sustainable Cities and Society, Volume 76, January 2022

Both subterranean rivers and groundwater sources can offer considerable contributions towards potential summer cooling of London Underground stations, while also having significant environmental and economic advantages relative to alternative refrigeration techniques.
Figure showing a conceptual diagram of socio-hydrological approach to bridge the gap between water resources and human well-being.
Elsevier,

Progress in Disaster Science, Volume 8, December 2020

This paper presents challenges for water security in the three largest riverine islands in Asia, a socio-hydrology approach to manage water scarcity and human well-being, and an adaptive management cycle to implement socio-hydrology in the field.
Elsevier,

Development Engineering, Volume 7, January 2022

By analyzing the impact of both public water supply and water handling containers, this paper makes an important contribution to the literature regarding the effectiveness of water supply programs based on the following related outcomes: objective and subjective water quality at the source and Point-of-use (POU), POU water treatment, water transport and storage behavior, and uptake of new, improved water points.
Elsevier, The Lancet Global Health, Volume 10, January 2022
Background: WHO promotes the SAFE strategy for the elimination of trachoma as a public health programme, which promotes surgery for trichiasis (ie, the S component), antibiotics to clear the ocular strains of chlamydia that cause trachoma (the A component), facial cleanliness to prevent transmission of secretions (the F component), and environmental improvements to provide water for washing and sanitation facilities (the E component). However, little evidence is available from randomised trials to support the efficacy of interventions targeting the F and E components of the strategy.
Elsevier,

Materials Today: Proceedings, Volume 38, 1 January 2021

In this study, the authors investigate the effect of phosphate functionalisation on the removal of uranyl ions from mine-drainage contaminated water.
Figure illustrating the intervention delivery and data collection timeline.
Elsevier,

The Lancet Planetary Health, Volume 6, February 2022

This study supports SDGs 3 and 6 by investigating a low-cost behavioural intervention designed to increase latrine use and safe disposal of child faeces in India. The study found the intervention modestly increased latrine use and markedly increased safe disposal of child faeces in the short term, but was unlikely to reduce exposure to pathogens to a level necessary to achieve health gains.
Elsevier,

Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Volume 79, February 2022

This article contributes to research on public policy and water sanitation.
Elsevier,

One Earth, Volume 4, 19 February 2021

A framework for understanding water's many functions for supporting, regulating, and stabilizing hydro-climatic, hydro-ecological, and hydro-social systems.
Elsevier,

International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, Volume 30, September 2018

Considering the area of Lecce province (Salento peninsula, Apulia region, Southern Italy), this study outlines the non-linear cascading paths related to groundwater depletion and salinization in an urbanized coastal region depending quite entirely on groundwater resources of a coastal karst aquifer.
Elsevier,

iScience, Volume 24, 20 August 2021

This time series study on water quality in chalk rivers demonstrates superstatistical behaviours of environmental and anthropogenic parameters.
Figure showing the four main atmospheric water harvesting processes
Elsevier,

iScience, Volume 24, 19 November 2021

Producing clean, fresh drinking water from atmospheric water vapor can play an important role in alleviating water scarcity in drought-prone regions of the world. This perspective explores the current trends and future outlook for atmospheric water harvesting technologies.
Elsevier,

The Lancet Global Health, Volume 9, December 2021

This study supports SDGs 3 and 6 by showing that a handwashing intervention involving disgust-inducing messages, combined with the provision of handwashing stations in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, successfully increased rates of handwashing with soap after toilet use. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of combining health-based messaging with non-health-based messaging when implementing water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions.
Figure showing the proportions of the global population under water stress per month in 2010
Elsevier,

The Lancet Planetary Health, Volume 5, November 2021

This Article supports SDGs 3 and 6 by assessing global human water stress for low to high environmental flow protection. The findings suggest that ensuring high ecological protection would put nearly half the world's population under water stress for at least 1 month per year, meaning important trade-offs are made when allocating limited water resources between direct human needs and the environment.
Elsevier,

iScience, Volume 24, 19 November 2021

An interdisciplinary team of researchers and citizen scientists team up for assessing water quality in an iconic English river.
Elsevier,

The Lancet Global Health, Volume 7, January 2019

This study supports SDGs 3 and 6 by showing that elementary WASH interventions alone were insufficient in reducing the prevalence of stunting, anaemia, and diarrhoea in children in rural Zimbabwe; these findings call for greater investment into, and scale-up of, WASH programmes in rural settings, in order to achieve more meaningful improvements in child health outcomes.
Elsevier,

The Lancet Global Health, Volume 8, August 2020

This study supports SDGs 3 and 6 by suggesting that current methods of cholera control are insufficient at achieving zero transmission of Vibrio cholerae in Haiti, and that large-scale cholera vaccination campaigns are needed alongside improvements in water and sanitation for long-term cholera elimination.
Elsevier,

The Lancet Global Health, Volume 7, September 2019

This study supports SDGs 3 and 6 by identifying passive chlorination at the point of collection as an effective and scalable strategy for reducing diarrhoea in children and improving access to safe and affordable drinking water in a low-income urban setting.
Elsevier, One Earth, Volume 4, 19 March 2021
The need to assess major infrastructure performance under a changing climate is widely recognized yet rarely practiced, particularly in rapidly growing African economies. Here, we consider high-stakes investments across the water, energy, and food sectors for two major river basins in a climate transition zone in Africa. We integrate detailed interpretation of observed and modeled climate-system behavior with hydrological modeling and decision-relevant performance metrics.
Figure showing the proportions of the global population under water stress per month in 2010
Elsevier,

The Lancet Planetary Health, Volume 5, November 2021

This Article supports SDGs 3 and 6 by assessing global human water stress for low to high environmental flow protection. The findings suggest that ensuring high ecological protection would put nearly half the world's population under water stress for at least 1 month per year, meaning important trade-offs are made when allocating limited water resources between direct human needs and the environment.
Elsevier, iScience, Volume 24, 19 March 2021
The Ganga basin includes some of the most densely populated areas in the world, in a region characterized by extremely high demographic and economic growth rates. Although anthropogenic pressure in this area is increasing, the pollution status of the Ganga is still poorly studied and understood. In the light of this, we have carried out a systematic literature review of the sources, levels and spatiotemporal distribution of organic pollutants in surface water and sediment of the Ganga basin, including for the first time emerging contaminants (ECs).
Graphical abstract
Elsevier, Chemical Engineering Journal Advances, Volume 10, 15 May 2022
Water pollution is the most serious problem threatening global water resources. The release of both natural and anthropogenic factors in the aquatic environment is affecting the quality of water bodies, with Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) being one of the major issues. In recent years, the availability of robust and sensitive analytical methods has allowed the detection and identification of a wide variety of pollutants.
Graphical abstract
Elsevier, Chemical Engineering Journal Advances, Volume 9, 15 March 2022
Groundwater remediation technologies that can destroy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in situ are in high demand. To address this need, using flow-through electrochemical reactors we compared the performance of three mesh electrode materials that may be implemented in the subsurface as permeable reactive barriers.
Schematic of the pilot-scale IXR-EO treatment train and sampling locations.
Elsevier, Chemical Engineering Journal Advances, Volume 9, 15 March 2022
This pilot-scale field demonstration evaluated the remediation of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from groundwater contaminated with aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) from a coupled regenerable ion exchange resin (IXR) and electrochemical oxidation (EO) treatment train. A pilot-scale IXR system was used that incorporates a novel resin regeneration process, and recovers and reuses the majority of the regenerant solution using distillation.
Elsevier,

Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, Volume 102, January 2022

This paper cautions that the adoption of electric vehicles with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions must balance that beneficial effect against increased water consumption. It recommends battery electric vehicles charged by solar energy as the best solution.