Meeting the World's Water Challenges with Innovation and Fun

September 11, 2008—There's nothing like getting people to pay attention by presenting serious issues in an entertaining way. The World Water Expo in Zaragoza, Spain, is doing just that. While creating an atmosphere of fun and excitement, the expo is also leaving visitors better informed about the world's water problems.

The facts on water are hard to swallow:

• More than 1.1 billion people have no access to safe drinking water.
• 2.6 billion people have no access to water for sanitation, increasing the spread of disease.
• By 2030, global demand for water is estimated to double for food production and to increase by 57% for energy use, while rivers and lakes are already vastly overused.

All this may seem hard to believe, considering our planet is nearly two-thirds water. But less than 3% of the water is not salty and about two-thirds of that is ice. What's worse is that too many people don't know how dire the world's water situation is, or aren't aware of ways they can conserve water. This is where the World Water Expo 2008 comes in.

Running from June 14 through September 14, 2008, the expo provides platform on which world leaders, water experts, and interested people can come together to learn, discuss, and propose. It features water-inspired architecture and art, orchestras, shows and street performances, as well as exhibits by participating countries to share experiences, research and knowledge. For example, Switzerland presented SODIS, a simple, low-cost way that people without access to clean water can disinfect contaminated water. There's also the Water Tribune, whose members meet to find sustainable solutions that are then broadcast from the Virtual Pavilion for anyone to access. 

The idea is that by focusing on water's beauty, power, and importance, the expo will raise interest and optimism, and help improve water conservation practices.

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