Agenda 04-26-22; 8-a - Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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6 1 Commissioner Greene read the following proclamation: 2 3 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 4 5 WORLD WATER DAY 6 PROCLAMATION 7 8 WHEREAS, the United Nations (UN) has declared March 22nd as World Water Day and has 9 invited governments around the world to devote the Day to the promotion of public awareness of 10 the importance of water and the sustainable management of water resources; and 11 12 WHEREAS, the theme for World Water Day 2022 is "Groundwater - Making the Invisible 13 Visible," highlighting that Groundwater is invisible, but its impact is visible everywhere, and 14 though it may be out of sight, Groundwater must not be out of mind; and 15 16 WHEREAS, the intended goal of World Water Day 2022 is to acknowledge groundwater as a 17 hidden treasure that enriches our lives, that everyone needs to work together to sustainably 18 manage this precious resource, and that exploring, protecting and sustainably using 19 groundwater will be central to surviving and adapting to climate change and meeting the needs 20 of a growing population; and 21 22 WHEREAS, today, water around the world is under extreme threat from a growing population, 23 increasing demands of agriculture and industry, and the worsening impacts of climate change; 24 and 25 26 WHEREAS, according to UN estimates, 2.2 billion people around the world are living without 27 access to safe water; and 28 29 WHEREAS, climate change is and will continue to strain the availability, quality, and quantity of 30 water for the basic human needs of potentially billions of people; and 31 32 WHEREAS, the UN Sustainable Development Goals provide the clear goal of providing safe 33 water and sanitation for all people by 2030; and 34 35 WHEREAS, the United States uses 82.3 billion gallons per day of groundwater for public 36 supply, private supply, irrigation, livestock, manufacturing, mining, thermoelectric power, and 37 other purposes, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and 55% of the population of North 38 Carolina depends on groundwater for drinking water; and 39 40 WHEREAS, water use has a direct link to overall monthly housing affordability when 41 considering that ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day, 42 according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and 43 44 WHEREAS, Orange County recognizes that water and sanitation measures are key to poverty 45 reduction, economic growth, and environmental sustainability; and 46 47 WHEREAS, people around the world and in Orange County value water for its cultural, religious 48 and spiritual meanings; and 49 50 WHEREAS, Orange County serves as the headwaters for three of the major NC river systems — 51 the Cape Fear, the Neuse and the Roanoke; and