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3 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> WORLD WATER DAY <br /> PROCLAMATION <br /> WHEREAS, the United Nations (UN) has declared March 22nd as World Water Day and <br /> has invited governments around the world to devote the Day to the promotion of public <br /> awareness of the importance of water and the sustainable management of water <br /> resources; and <br /> WHEREAS, the theme for World Water Day 2026 is "Where water flows, equality grows," <br /> highlighting safe water and sanitation as human rights and critical enablers of gender <br /> equality; and <br /> WHEREAS, the intended goals of World Water Day 2026 is to ensure safe water and <br /> sanitation for all and to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls; and <br /> WHEREAS, today, water around the world is under extreme threat from a growing <br /> population, increasing demands of agriculture and industry, and the worsening impacts <br /> of climate change; and <br /> WHEREAS, according to UN estimates, 2.2 billion people around the world are living <br /> without access to safe water; and <br /> WHEREAS, climate change is and will continue to strain the availability, quality, and <br /> quantity of water for the basic human needs of potentially billions of people; and <br /> WHEREAS, the UN Sustainable Development Goals provide the clear goal of providing <br /> safe water and sanitation for all people by 2030; and <br /> WHEREAS, the United States uses 82.3 billion gallons per day of groundwater for public <br /> supply, private supply, irrigation, livestock, manufacturing, mining, thermoelectric power, <br /> and other purposes, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and 55% of the population <br /> of North Carolina depends on groundwater for drinking water; and <br /> WHEREAS, water use has a direct link to overall monthly housing affordability when <br /> considering that ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day, <br /> according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and <br /> WHEREAS, Orange County recognizes that water and sanitation measures are key to <br /> poverty reduction, economic growth, and environmental sustainability; and <br /> WHEREAS, people around the world and in Orange County value water for its cultural, <br /> religious and spiritual meanings; and <br />