Credit: MECDD
Luxembourg's Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development has announced the launch of a new awareness campaign on the occasion of World Water Day.
Every year on 22 March, World Water Day highlights the importance of water for our lives, for the environment and for the future of our children. Established in 1993, this observance day has been organised by United Nations Water (UN-Water) since 2003. This year's theme centres on “valuing water”. Water is also a central theme for goal six of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Luxembourg's Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development, the Water Management Authority (Administration de la gestion de l'eau - AGE) and the Luxembourg Association of Water Services (Association luxembourgeoise des services d'eau - Aluseau ASBL), together with Ëmweltberodung Lëtzebuerg (EBL), have taken this opportunity to launch a campaign that aims to enhance water resources by promoting the consumption of tap water as a healthy and sustainable way of life.
Carole Dieschbourg, Luxembourg's Minister of the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development, explained: “Tap water is a local and natural product, easily accessible by everyone and everywhere and which does not require plastic or roads to be transported. As such, it is a practical and ecological choice". She added: “Tap water is also the most regulated and controlled food in Luxembourg and therefore a high quality, safe and healthy product. And again, people who get into the habit of drinking tap water to refresh themselves on a daily basis will make considerable savings in terms of financial expenses".
A survey, carried out by TNS Ilres on behalf of the aforementioned partners, showed that 82% of Luxembourg's population already drink tap water but that 42% do not yet do so every day.
To promote tap water, the partners wanted to offer something a little different, which can appeal to young people and which links tap water to the territory and history of Luxembourg. On 10 March 2021, a new mysterious water brand arrived in Luxembourg, promoted by a Facebook page called "Melusina's Choice". Melusina was chosen as the campaign symbol due to her being an icon for Luxembourg, her life being intrinsically linked to our rivers and, when it comes to the water she drinks, she is picky and demanding. The mystery has now been revealed: Melusina's favourite water cannot be anything other than tap water.
"We are delighted to launch this campaign today, with our partners, and we hope that it will motivate even more people to trust and appreciate the value of our tap water", noted Georges Kraus, President of Aluseau ASBL.
The drinking water suppliers in Luxembourg, i.e. the 102 municipalities as well as the six unions, have invested significantly in the field of drinking water and guarantee the conformity of drinking water thanks to regular and efficient checks. Since 2018, each supplier has been developing a risk analysis for each infrastructure in their network. This risk analysis, proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the form of a “Water Safety plan" (WSP) manual, is being implemented in Luxembourg as a “LuxWSP” web application.
Suppliers who complete their analysis by 22 December 2021 will be recognied with the “new generation "Drëpsi" certification which is staggered, according to the degree of completion of the LuxWSP, into four categories: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. “This label is now a living label, which will be upgraded every year by the responsible administration. This pioneering initiative has been recognized by other European countries and serves as an example of good practice”, explained Jean-Paul Lickes, Director of AGE, the government body which coordinates the management of Luxembourg's water resources.
On the occasion of World Water Day, the AGE is also launching today on its website a virtual exhibition of more than 550 drawings made by children from all over Luxembourg on the theme "valuing water".
