News
Putting water at the heart of welfare
17 March 2026World Water Day, observed annually on March 22nd since 1993, is a United Nations initiative that raises awareness about the two billion people who currently lack access to safe water. The day encourages action to tackle the global water crisis and supports Sustainable Development Goal 6: ensuring water and sanitation for all by 2030.
This year, UNICEF’s campaign, ‘Where water flows, equality grows’, highlights a critical issue: in communities without safe water, women and girls often bear the heaviest burden. Hours spent collecting water can compromise their health, safety and education.
Safety and sanitation assured
In the UK, we often take safe water and sanitation for granted. Access at the turn of a tap is not just convenient – it underpins the UK’s status as one of the world’s leading economies.
But globally, the situation is stark.
The threat of global water bankruptcy
Experts warn the world is approaching a ‘global water bankruptcy’: long-term mismanagement, over-extraction, and pollution are outpacing the planet’s ability to replenish freshwater resources. Nearly four billion people face severe water scarcity for at least one month each year.
The consequences are enormous: health risks, food insecurity, and economic disruption. Addressing them requires a fundamental shift – moving from reactive crisis management to strategic ‘bankruptcy management.’ This means reducing demand, investing in infrastructure, and treating water as the finite, precious resource it is.
Fortunately, the United Nations and countless global initiatives are driving progress towards this vision.
A pioneering contribution to global water safety
On World Water Day, we are proud to highlight GX’s contributions to water safety innovation.
- Our partnership with Modern Water, a tech company leveraging bioluminescent bacteria to monitor water safety, spans several years. Together, we’ve advanced and produced leading point-of-use water and environmental testing solutions. Learn more here and here.
- WaterSam, another twenty-year collaboration, has benefited from our design and engineering expertise in developing automatic water samplers. Today, WaterSam stands among the UK’s leading suppliers. Discover more here.
GX is a leading product design and engineering consultancy, specialising in product design, value engineering, and control system development. If you’re a changemaker with a brilliant idea, we can help turn it into commercial reality. Get in touch today.