World Water Day 2022

Published on March 21, 2022

World Water Day is an annual United Nations Observance, focusing on the importance of water. This day celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2 billion people living without access to safe water and it is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis.

Did you know?1

  • 3 in 10 people lack access to safely managed drinking water services and 6 in 10 people lack access to safely managed sanitation facilities.
  • Between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of the global population using an improved drinking water source has increased from 76 per cent to 90 per cent
  • Water scarcity affects more than 40 per cent of the global population and is projected to rise. Over 1.7 billion people are currently living in river basins where water use exceeds recharge.
  • More than 80 per cent of wastewater resulting from human activities is discharged into rivers or sea without any pollution removal
  • Each day, nearly 1,000 children die due to preventable water and sanitation-related diarrheal diseases

This day is an occasion to highlight some of the great work CERN alumni are undertaking in order to support the achievement of the sixth Sustainable Development Goal - Ensure access to water and sanitation for all.

Let us introduce you to our CERN alumnus, Emilio Asensi, CEO at Vaquita Technologies, a startup using technology to ensure healthy waters, everywhere, all the time.

Vaquita Technologies aims to revolutionize the current market of water quality measuring devices by introducing a modular device that can be adapted to different client needs worldwide. Since their device is constructed from durable and biodegradable materials, it can be applied everywhere - in lakes, rivers, or seaside - and does not pollute the environment. Their sensors are equipped with the newest optical sensor technology and are powered by renewable energy while remaining visual pollution-free, blending into the environment they are placed in.2

Interested to know more? Revisit Emilio's talk during the Second Collisions event last October and get in touch with him on alumni.cern!

 

1) https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/

2) https://thehub.io/startups/vaquita-technologies

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