Change Begins with a Drop.
Water Technologies
Since 1993, International World Water Day has been
held annually on March 22nd by the United Nations
as a means of focusing attention on the importance
of fresh water and advocating for the sustainable
management of fresh water resources.
Of course, personally, we can all adopt small
changes in behavior, to help make a big difference
this World Water Day (and everyday). Siemens is
also committed to creating the technologies to
help communities and industries make big changes
in how they consume, manage and recycle fresh
water, to make a real and lasting impact on water
conservation and accessibility across the globe.
Water Facts
Things you should know about the world’s fresh
water supply – our most precious natural resource:
n Up to three quarters of the Earth’s surface
is covered with water but less than 0.03% is
drinkable.
n Producing 35 cubic feet (1 cubic meter) of
drinkable water through desalination reverse
osmosis (the process of forcing salty water
through a membrane to remove the salt) requires
about 2 kWh of electricity. Although that’s down
from 5 to 10 kWh 20 years ago, it is still energy
intensive.
n Urbanization and demographic changes pose
serious challenges to secure water supplies for
future generations, as humans use more and
more water each year.
n Today, 1.2 billion people are without clean
drinking water and 2.4 billion people are not
connected to wastewater systems.
n The United Nations estimates more than 3 billion
people may suffer from water shortages by the
year 2025.
n As population grows, the demand on our
water resources is challenged to keep up.
n More than a billion people in water poor
regions around the globe survive on
the same amount used to flush a toilet
or take a 5-minute shower, just over 1
gallon (5 liters) of water each day.
n Each day almost 10,000 children under
the age of 5 in Third World countries die
as a result of illnesses contracted by use
of impure water.
n Even though each person only requires
about 13 gallons (48 liters) of water on
a daily basis, individuals in the United
States use an average of 132 gallons (500
liters), those in Canada an average of 79
gallons (300 liters) and those in England
an average of 52 gallons (200 liters).
n To manufacture new cars 39,000 gallons
(148,000 liters) of water are used per car.
n A 60-Watt incandescent bulb can
consume up to 6,000 gallons (22,710
liters) of water a year.
n Water and energy are critical, mutually
dependent resources – the production
of energy requires large volumes of
water and water treatment requires large
amounts of energy.
© 2011 Siemens Water Technologies Corp
CO-WWD-FCTSHT-0111
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Lummi Island Watershed Enhancement Committee 
