Promise to leave no one behind
Xylem, a leading global water technology company, on the occasion of World Water Day 2019, reiterated its commitment to solving water issues
“According to UNICEF, two children aged under five years die every four minutes from diarrhoea, caused by unsafe water. That adds up to over 700 children below the age of five who die every day,” said Frank Ackland, Managing Director of Xylem Middle East. “Moreover, according to numbers given by the World Health Organisation, over 2.1 billion people – almost a third of the world’s population – do not have access to clean, safe, water, which means water that is available when needed, accessible on the premises, and free from contamination.”
The theme for 2019’s World Water Day is “Leaving no one behind”. On that line, Ackland indicated that “leaving no one behind when it comes to availability of clean, safe water and sustainable management of wastewater is at the core of our purpose and mission in Xylem.”
Ackland notes, “Xylem partners with governments, customers and communities around the world to advance the agenda around sustainable water management solutions. Water is a basic human right. Access to water is critical to sustainable development.”
He adds, “Our technologies ensure today that infrastructure is sustainable, and through Watermark, Xylem’s corporate citizenship programme, we provide and protect safe water resources for many of the world’s most vulnerable communities, and educate people around the globe about water issues.”
Ackland also explained how Xylem has helped during water-related disasters around the world and in the region. “We have mobilised multiple crisis responses, providing our technology, expertise and assistance for disasters that include the rescue of a teenagers’ football team in a cave in Thailand last year. We sent equipment and technical support directly from our manufacturing facility in Dubai to help throughout the floods in Kerala. Also, we have provided help during the typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines, the earthquakes in Indonesia, and last year our regional team joined by partners from the Middle East donated and built with their own hands water towers that provide safe, clean water to more than 10,000 people in remote communities of Cambodia.”
Ackland explained how Xylem’s commitment to water and sustainability goes beyond and sets an example on sustainable business practices. “Xylem’s Dubai manufacturing facility will soon be fully solar powered, besides, all our offices in the Middle East are moving away from single-use plastic, following up an initiative that came from our own regional team.”
“World Water Day should remind us of the urgency of the water crisis the world is going through,” said Ackland. “Today, technology is providing the opportunity to transform how we solve water problems. Smart water networks identify water infrastructure problems earlier and more efficiently. Billions of gallons of previously wasted water can go to those who need it. Improved wastewater management means less polluted rivers, lakes and streams. There is a smarter way forward to solve all water-related issues, and we at Xylem are creating the technology platform to address these opportunities and more. We have a chance to bring about real change, working together with governments, customers and communities to take the right steps at the right time. This is ‘The Opportunity of a Lifetime’,” concluded Ackland, referring to Xylem’s recent sustainability report.