March 22 is World Water Day – a day to step up our work defending public water and wastewater services. We can all take action in our workplaces and in our neighbourhoods. Here are a few ways:
- Take action on bottled water in your local, workplace or community. March 19 is Bottled Water Free Day. Visit backthetap.ca for action ideas, and to take the tap water pledge.
- Do you work on campus? The Coalition for Bottled Water Free Communities is doing a reality check on campuses that have announced a ban on bottled water. Check the Polaris Institute’s list to see if your campus has announced a ban. Then help us track whether administrators are living up to their word by completing this short survey.
- The Harper Conservatives are using infrastructure funding to force more municipalities into water and wastewater P3s. There is a better way. Learn about and share the Alternative Federal Budget. The AFB is a financial blueprint for maintaining, upgrading and expanding municipal water and wastewater services without privatization. The AFB also outlines concrete steps to ensure safe, clean drinking water in First Nation communities.
- Support international efforts to fight water privatization. CUPE and other Public Services International affiliate unions are supporting the campaign against water privatization in Peru.
Together we can fight privatization, and promote water as a public service and a human right.
Read: National President Paul Moist and National Secretary-Treasurer Charles Fleury’s full World Water Day statement.