When is World Water Day?
World Water Day 2027 is on Monday
Monday, March 22, 2027
March 22 every year. That's in 169 days.
until World Water Day begins, in your time zone
World Water Day is a UN observance that focuses on freshwater: who has safe drinking water and sanitation, who does not, and what it takes to protect water supplies. UN-Water coordinates it around a new theme each year.
About World Water Day
World Water Day looks at freshwater from every angle: who can get it, how it is managed and what happens when it is polluted, overused or unfairly shared. It is closely tied to Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims for clean water and sanitation for everyone by 2030. About 1.8 billion people still have no drinking water at home, and in two out of three of those households women do most of the water collection, according to WHO and UNICEF, a link the 2026 campaign highlighted.
The idea came out of the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, whose Agenda 21 action plan recommended an international day for freshwater. On December 22, 1992, the General Assembly adopted resolution 47/193, declaring March 22 of each year the World Day for Water, starting in 1993.
UN-Water, the UN's coordination mechanism on water and sanitation, sets each year's theme and leads a task force of UN agencies and partners that runs the global campaign. Recent themes have covered groundwater, water for peace, glacier preservation and water and gender equality. UN-Water's flagship United Nations World Water Development Report is released on the day each year.
Sources: United Nations: World Water Day, United Nations: World Water Day background, UN Digital Library: General Assembly resolution 47/193 (1992). How we check dates.
How to mark World Water Day
- Fix a dripping tap or running toilet, and check your water meter for hidden leaks.
- Find out where your tap water comes from and read your local utility's annual water quality report.
- Cut back on one water-heavy habit for a week, such as long showers or watering the lawn at midday.
- Support a vetted organization that builds water and sanitation services in underserved communities.
- Join a stream or lake cleanup, or volunteer for a citizen science water-monitoring project.
World Water Day dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Saturday, March 22, 2025 |
| 2026 | Sunday, March 22, 2026 |
| 2027 | Monday, March 22, 2027 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, March 22, 2028 |
| 2029 | Thursday, March 22, 2029 |
| 2030 | Friday, March 22, 2030 |
| 2031 | Saturday, March 22, 2031 |
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Frequently asked questions
When is World Water Day 2027?
World Water Day 2027 is on Monday, March 22, 2027. It falls on March 22 every year. In 2028, it is on Wednesday, March 22, 2028.
Who runs World Water Day?
UN-Water coordinates it. It picks the theme and leads the global campaign with UN agencies and partner organizations.
Why do some documents call it World Day for Water?
That was the wording in the 1992 General Assembly resolution that created the day. World Water Day is the name in common use.
Is World Water Day a public holiday?
No. World Water Day is an observance, not a public holiday, so schools, banks, government offices and most businesses keep their normal hours.