K 240: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 22, 2025, as Water Day in the State of New York

 Assembly Resolution No. 240 BY: M. of A. Jackson MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 22, 2025, as Water Day in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official days that are set aside to increase awareness of environmental issues that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 22, 2025, as Water Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of World Water Day; and WHEREAS, Water holds immense value and is one of the planet's most precious resources; people utilize water for a variety of purposes every day, including drinking, agriculture, industry, recreation, hygiene, sanitation, and health care; and WHEREAS, Water resources are limited and valuable; warming temperatures, as well as other natural and human-made stressors, threaten to further impact the quantity and quality of our water on a large scale; and WHEREAS, World Water Day emphasizes the importance of water, the role it plays in our lives, and how we can better protect it; this vital day of recognition celebrates water while also raising awareness of the 2.2 billion people who do not have access to safe drinking water; and WHEREAS, Every year on March 22nd, people and organizations commemorate World Water Day by taking action to address the global water crisis; a core focus of this day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6, water and sanitation for all, by 2030; and WHEREAS, Global access to safe water, adequate sanitation, and adequate hygiene resources reduce disease-related illness and death, resulting in improved health, poverty reduction, and socioeconomic development; and WHEREAS, The COVID- 19 pandemic has highlighted the critical importance of universal access to safe water, as handwashing with soap and water is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID- 19; despite this, many people lack access to these fundamental necessities, putting them at risk of diseases related to water, sanitation, and hygiene; and WHEREAS, Globally, 2 billion people do not have safely managed drinking water services, 3.6 billion do not have safely managed sanitation services, and 2.3 billion do not have access to a handwashing facility with water and soap at home; and WHEREAS, Although water is crucial in daily life, many people are unaware that much of their water comes from the ground; an estimated 145 million Americans get their tap water from a groundwater source; statewide, New Yorkers use almost 900 million gallons per day of groundwater; and WHEREAS, Life would not be possible without groundwater and we must therefore protect it from overexploitation; most the world's dry regions rely solely on groundwater; a considerable percentage of the water we use for drinking, sanitation, food production, and industrial operations comes from groundwater; it is also vital for ecosystems like wetlands and rivers to function properly; and WHEREAS, Accounting for approximately 99 percent of all liquid freshwater on Earth, groundwater has the potential to provide societies with tremendous social, economic, and environmental benefits and opportunities; and WHEREAS, Furthermore, groundwater already provides half of the volume of water withdrawn for domestic use by the global population, including the drinking water for the vast majority of the rural population who do not get their water delivered to them via public or private supply systems, and around 25 percent of all water withdrawn for irrigation; and WHEREAS, This vital natural resource is often poorly understood, and consequently undervalued, mismanaged, and even abused, rendering it vulnerable to depletion and pollution; in the context of growing water scarcity across many parts of the world, the vast potential of groundwater and the need to manage it sustainably can no longer be overlooked; and WHEREAS, Small steps and local actions collectively improve water quality for people, wildlife, and the environment; it is imperative that there be greater awareness of this environmental issue, and more must be done to increase activity at the local, State and National levels; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 22, 2025, as Water Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of World Water Day; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York.