Organizations and activists used World Water Day, designated by the United Nations as March 22 in 1993, to draw attention to and to work to reduce global and local water challenges. The UN’s children’s agency, UNICEF, released research saying that population growth and climate change will help lead to water scarcity for one in four children by 2040.
Gondolas sit on the muddy sea bed of the Venetian lagoon in the Riva del Vin area, in Venice, Thursday, Dec. 29, 2016. An uncommon low tide hampered boat circulation in many areas of the city that is built on an archipelago where canals serve the function of roads.
Photos of animals at the Ocearium in Le Croisic, western France.
Since financially struggling Flint, Michigan, changed its water source without adding a chemical to control corrosion, residents have been unhappy with the water’s smell, taste and appearance, and have reported rashes, hair loss and other ailments. One activist, Melissa Mays, told the Detroit News she loved the city despite its economic troubles, tied to the loss of auto industry jobs, but with her three sons suffering a bevy of medical problems they believe are linked to the water, she now wants to leave, if she can sell her home. “Trapped is a pretty decent word,” she said.
The day in photos around the world.
The day in photos around the world.
The day in photos around the world.
The day in photos around the world.
Drinking water in Baltimore before the turn of the 20th century was, to put it mildly, unsanitary. Unfiltered water from streams, wells and springs were funneled to reservoirs throughout the city. Outbreaks of disease from waterborne pathogens were common, as were complaints of odor and taste.
In 1881, the Gunpowder Falls was connected to Lake Montebello, a new reservoir that improved water conditions throughout the city. But it wasn’t until Sept. 13, 1915 — 100 years ago this week — that the city’s most significant water-related development occurred with the opening of the filtration plant at the lake. It was called one of the “biggest and most important undertakings in the history of the city” by Robert L. Clemmitt, the city’s acting water engineer and president of the water board.
On Saturday, the city will celebrate the Montebello Centennial with music, activities, historical exhibits and more.
The day in photos around the world.
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Baltimore street photographers
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A. Aubrey Bodine
Viewing Baltimore from above