Assembly Resolution No. 999

BY: M. of A. Jackson

MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim
March 22, 2024, 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, 2024, 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, 2024, 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.