Bill Text: GA HR591 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Georgia Water Day at the state capitol; March 22, 2009; designate

Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-1)

Status: (Passed) 2009-03-09 - House Read and Adopted [HR591 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2009-HR591-Introduced.html

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09 LC 34 2186

House Resolution 591

By: Representatives Drenner of the 86th, Benfield of the 85th, Henson of the 87th, Manning of the 32nd, Oliver of the 83rd, and others

A RESOLUTION

Designating March 22, 2009, as "Georgia Water Day 2009" at the state capitol; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, "Coping with Water Scarcity" is the theme for the United Nations World Water Day 2009, which is celebrated each year on the 22nd of March. The theme highlights the significance of cooperation and importance of an integrated approach to water resource management of water at both international and local levels; and

WHEREAS, this theme was decided among all members of the United Nations World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden, in August 2006; and

WHEREAS, World Water Day in 2005 marked the start of a new United Nations International Decade for Action on water. The Water for Life Decade 2005-2015 will give a high profile to implementing water-related programs. This UN initiative will boost the chances of achieving international water-related goals and the United Nations Millennium Declaration; and

WHEREAS, the World Water Day observation focuses on water and poverty alleviation. Water and sanitation are critical factors to alleviate poverty and hunger, for sustainable development, for environmental integrity and for human health. The first water decade -- from 1981 to 1990 -- brought water to over a billion people and sanitation to almost 77 million; however, the job was only half done. There are still almost 1.1 billion people without adequate access to water and 2.4 billion without adequate sanitation; and

WHEREAS, equity and rights, cultural and ethical issues are essential to be addressed when dealing with limited water resources. Imbalances between availability and demand, the degradation of groundwater and surface water quality, intersectoral competition, interregional and international disputes, all center around the question of how to cope with scarce water resources; and
WHEREAS, while we are a water rich state, it is essential that the State of Georgia become aware of the national and international issues of water resource management and coping with water scarcity.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body do hereby designate March 22, 2009, as "Georgia Water Day 2009" at the state capitol to highlight the importance of water resource management in conjunction with the annual United Nations World Water Day observation, and urge all citizens to increase awareness of water conservation programs.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the Department of Natural Resources.