World Water Day - March 22, 2025
Learn about global data, consumption in Italy and IULM's commitment to responsible water use
On March 22 we celebrate World Water Day, established by the United Nations in 1992 to raise awareness of the importance of fresh water and its sustainable management. The theme for 2025 is "Conservation of Glaciers," critical to our water supply. Their rapid melting causes floods, droughts and rising sea levels, with serious global consequences.
The global situation
Demand for water has been growing by 1 percent annually since 1980, with agriculture using 70 percent, followed by industry (20 percent) and the domestic sector (12 percent). About 50% of the world's population experiences periods of severe water scarcity each year, while more than 2 billion people lack access to safe water services.
In Italy, per capita consumption is among the highest in Europe: 220 liters of water per person per day, compared to the EU average of 123 liters. However, only 35 percent of Italians are aware of this consumption, while 78 percent believe they use less than 200 liters.
IULM's commitment
IULM University is promoting more sustainable water consumption with:
- Water columns on campus to reduce plastic use.
- Automatic shut-off faucets to avoid waste.
- Awareness campaigns, such as stickers in bathrooms to remind people to turn off taps.
- Cascina Moncucco, renovated with water-saving systems that reduce consumption by 50 percent and reuse rainwater for irrigation.
How to reduce water waste?
Everyone can contribute with small daily gestures:
✅ Install low-consumption devices (faucets with breakers, low-flow showers).
✅ Repair leaks: a dripping faucet wastes up to 15 liters a day.
✅ Use appliances at full load to reduce consumption.
✅ Prefer showering to bathing (70 liters vs. 150 liters).
✅ Turn off the faucet while brushing teeth or soaping hands.
✅ Reuse water: that from fruits and vegetables can irrigate plants.
✅ Irrigate efficiently, during cool hours and with drip systems
If every person in Italy reduced their water consumption by 10 percent, more than 600 million cubic meters of water would be saved annually.
Water is a precious resource: adopting virtuous behavior in daily water consumption not only protects the environment, but also generates economic and social benefits for the entire community.