World Water Day

Water microbiology stewardship

Safeguarding water safety and quality on World Water Day and everyday

World Water Day, observed annually on 22 March since 1993, is a United Nations initiative emphasizing the critical importance of clean water.

 

This day celebrates water and highlights global issues concerning access to safe water, with a central aim of supporting Sustainable Development Goal 6: ensuring water and sanitation for all by 2030.

 

Every day, we are committed to safeguarding the integrity of drinking water. Our solutions offer complete traceability through the full manufacturing and supply process, our products have rigorous quality built into every step, providing confidence in every result.

Take our water quiz- Is your lab aligned with EN ISO 7704:2023 standards? 

Evaluate your laboratory's adherence to the updated EN ISO 7704:2023 standards for microbiological water testing. 

The facts at a glance

71% of Earth is covered in water, and 96.5% of that is saltwater. That leaves 3.5% for freshwater, of which only 1% is consumable by humans.1

Nearly 2.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water – world water day highlights the challenges faced by poor water sanitation and lack of testing.2

Microbiology plays a crucial role in understanding and addressing waterborne diseases, and ensuring safe drinking water for all.3

Between 10,000 to 20,000 reported cases of Legionnaires' disease annually worldwide, with many more cases likely going unreported.4

High Mortality Rate: Legionnaires' disease has a global case fatality rate ranging from 5% to 15%.5

Discover how World Water Day aligns with our commitment to quality in drinking water testing

Each year, World Water Day reminds us of the importance of safe, accessible water for communities worldwide, with themes that speak to the global situation. For those in microbiology and water testing field however, this is more than just a day of awareness—it’s a call to action. Ensuring microbiological water quality is a shared responsibility across regulatory bodies, testing laboratories, and solution providers. Read on to discover how we can all play our part in ensuring the future of drinking water, and what we are doing at Thermo Fisher Scientific to uphold these standards. 

Be part of the world water day conversation

Every laboratory, technician, and scientist working in water microbiology contributes to a larger mission of global water safety. Whether you’ve implemented new testing strategies, overcome resource constraints, or played a role in responding to emerging water quality challenges, we invite you to share your experiences: 

  • How has your lab adapted to changing water testing regulations? 
  • What innovative techniques or solutions have improved your testing workflows? 
  • Have you faced challenges in microbial water testing, and how did you overcome them? 

By submitting your story, you join a network of professionals dedicated to advancing water safety. 

 

* Select contributions may be featured in upcoming industry discussions, case studies, or our World Water Day webpage.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.