World Water Day: 15 Amazing Reasons Why Each Drop Is Precious

Photo: Mike Keeling

Since March 22, 1993, World Water Day (WWD) has been celebrated annually to highlight the importance of freshwater and its resource maintenance. Each year, WWD has a new theme to focus on pertinent issues. This year’s Word Water Day theme is “Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge”.

Photo: Mike Keeling

A few facts from the official WWD website:

• 5 million city residents are joining the urban population in the developing world each month.
• 493 million people share their sanitation facilities. In 1990, this number was 259 million.
• 827.6 million people live in slums, often lacking adequate drinking water and sanitation facilities.
• A lack of safe water and sanitation in cities leads to cholera, malaria and diarrhea.
• 95% of the urban population growth in the coming decades will take place in the developing world.
• In Africa and Asia, the urban population will double between 2000 and 2030.
• Every second, the urban population grows by 2 people.

Photo: Mike Keeling

At Environmental Graffiti, we want to focus this year on freshwater in the form of dew and rain, and the difference just one drop can make. If you don’t believe us, just look at the 15 images featured here and picture them without their main character – a precious drop of water.

Rise for a new morning
Photo: Mike Keeling

Perfection on the tip of a leaf
Photo: Mike Keeling

Big drop on a small flower (Haworthia obtusa)
Photo: Mike Keeling

Got you!
Photo: Mike Keeling

Every drop is precious
Photo: Mike Keeling

This cactus flower got its own flower arrangement
Photo: Mike Keeling

My precious...
Photo: Mike Keeling

The claw of desire
Photo: Mike Keeling

Vine snaking around a precious diamond
Photo: Mike Keeling

Miniature flower basket
Photo: Mike Keeling

With so much beauty captured in just one drop, it's easy to remember why we should conserve our precious resource by the bucketful. This World Water Day, make an effort to save water in your home while brushing your teeth, having a bath, cooking, cleaning and doing any other activity that usually requires some H2O. Or, take part in one of the many local World Water Day events.

With special thanks to photographer Mike Keeling for sharing his amazing water drop images.