A Wave of Action: Join the Community Uniting for Water Security

Water connects us all, and so does the power to protect it. In 2025, World Water Day focuses on glacier preservation and the urgent need to build resilience against floods, shortages, and rising seas. To mark this moment, we’re coordinating a week-long Wave of Action from March 17-22 to make getting involved easy and impactful.?

From cleaning up rivers to planting trees, testing water quality, and sharing information, every action contributes to a water-secure world. Here we’re highlighting key Xylem Watermark partnerships driving change and ways you can get involved.??

Improving water quality, one test at a time?

In New Jersey’s marshlands, young volunteers can be found swirling test tubes of lake water, checking for changes invisible to the eye. Through EarthEcho International , they measure water quality – testing pH levels, turbidity, and more – and log their results in a global database that helps scientists and policymakers understand water quality trends and safeguard waterways.??

“We’re trying to address this crisis piece by piece,” said Pia Visaria, a Youth Leadership Council member. “The program empowers young people to take hands-on action. I can attest to that – I have been part of it since I was 14.”??

To join the EarthEcho Challenge and help protect your local waterways, visit MonitorWater.org.?

Fighting floods with trees?

Half a world away in the Philippines, volunteers in Batangas are planting trees to help protect their community from frequent flooding.??

The Philippines experiences an average of 20 typhoons per year, bringing floods, landslides, and economic disruption. In response, local volunteers partnered with Americares to plant 300 fruit-bearing trees around Bugaan West Integrated School, creating a natural shield against storms and soil erosion.?

“Forests act as natural windbreakers,” said Gian Paul Joshua Arejola, a Watermark Champion. “Their roots hold soil and absorb rainwater, preventing floods.”??

Explore our playbook to discover how you can support tree-planting initiatives and help protect vulnerable communities.?

Providing clean water for healthier communities?

For expectant mothers in Zomba, Malawi, access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) was not always guaranteed. In health centers, a lack of clean water posed a serious threat, making it difficult for health workers to maintain sanitation.??

That changed when Freshwater Project International, Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB-USA), and Xylem volunteers upgraded health facilities to provide reliable WASH access for more than 400,000 people.?

“For so long, we had no easy access to potable water,” said Amina Maulana, a patient’s guardian at Naisi Health Facility. “Now, we have a laundry structure, standpipes at the clinic, and clean water at key points.”?

You can support this life-changing work by volunteering with Engineers Without Borders USA or by participating in our outreach program for college students. Join a virtual training session on March 19 to learn more. ?

Preparing for disaster before it strikes?

In early 2024, a cholera outbreak in northern Yemen posed a major health risk, threatening millions. Limited local capacity made rapid response critical. With Xylem’s support, Mercy Corps quickly mobilized to contain the outbreak, reaching more than 130,000 people.?

On the ground, 160 trained community volunteers provided hygiene education, promoted safe water practices, and chlorinated water sources to keep supplies cholera-free.??

“This response shows the power of education and local capacity building in preventing waterborne disease,” said Molly Parus, Deputy Director of Employee Engagement at Mercy Corps Portland. “Strong public-private partnerships make this possible by combining technical expertise and practical resources to create impact.”?

Join a virtual session led by Mercy Corps on March 18 to learn more. ?

Turning a pitch into a classroom?

In Kibera, Nairobi – home to nearly a million people – young leaders are transforming a football pitch into a classroom. Through sport, they teach young women about hygiene, water conservation, and leadership.??

Xylem and partner Manchester City are harnessing the power of football to promote water sustainability across the globe.??

“Our waterways are clogged with sanitary products,” said Pauline Akinyi, a Watermark Young Leader from Tackle, Kenya. “We’re teaching girls about reusable menstrual cups, which can prevent thousands of pads from entering our water sources and save millions of liters of water.”?

Learn how you can use the power of football to build awareness of water access, sanitation, and hygiene challenges and solutions.?

These stories share a common theme: real people taking real action in their communities. Check out the Global Watermark Wave of Action page to download playbooks and log your participation. Your action can help unlock a donation from Xylem to one of our nonprofit partners. Let’s solve water!?