Jamaica will commemorate World Water Day on Wednesday (March 22), an annual observation initiated by the United Nations (UN).
This year’s theme is ‘Accelerating Change – Water, Changing Behaviour and Lives’. It coincides with the UN’s sustainable development goal number six, which is to ensure access to water and sanitation for all. The objective is to achieve this by 2030.
In Jamaica, the day will be marked by an exhibition at the St. Elizabeth Technical High School in St. Elizabeth, which will be hosted by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and its agencies.
It will include an opening ceremony, competitions, career talks and presentations that will be centred around the theme, highlighting issues such as environmental, social and cultural values within the water sector.
Considering the importance of World Water Day’s focus, Deputy Managing Director of the Water Resources Authority (WRA), Geoffrey Marshall, is inviting the public to assist with securing safe sanitation and drinking water access for all.
The WRA is an agency of MEGJC and is responsible for the management, protection and controlled allocation and use of Jamaica’s water resources.
“Everybody is being urged to make a commitment towards doing their part to ensure that we change our water-usage habits and protect the resource,” Mr. Marshall said.
He is encouraging better water-usage habits and conservation practices, such as fixing leaky taps, refraining from filling tubs when taking showers and using grey water for irrigation of gardens.
World Water Day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources and is celebrated around the world with a variety of events.
