HEALTH: 6 facts about #WorldToiletDay as told through emojis

November 19 is World Toilet Day, drawing attention to the sanitation and clean-water challenges that affect 1 of every 3 people on earth. The statistics bear this out, and the facts are worth talking about.

Here are 6 ways to do so without words.

#WorldWaterDay: If water is so boring that it's "no big deal," then that's exactly why it's a very big deal.

Photo courtesy Drink Local. Drink Tap.

Go ahead. Flush. Don't think twice about it.

Turn the tap. No big deal.

Start the laundry, fill your tub, wash you hands, whatever. It's just water.

The simple fact that we can consider a precious resource and the complex system it takes to bring it to and from our homes safely "no big deal" is exactly why World Water Day March 22 should be a very big deal.

What is World Water Day? World Water Day, established by the United Nations in 1993, was originally launched to promote to the importance of fresh water and bring attention to water-resource management and sanitation challenges around the world.

GAMES: "You have died of cholera," and other health lessons #OregonTrail teaches us

You have died of cholera. Ah, the memories.

Adults who grew up with Apple IIs in the classroom in the 1990s are having a nostalgia field day now that the Internet Archive has made more than 2,000 MS DOS games available online, including the memorable Oregon Trail.

What makes it relevant to a Sewer District blog (and you, fine reader) is a look at the diseases that plagued the pioneers: Cholera, dysentery, and typhoid fever, among others. You might not have realized it as a child, but the first three are caused by a lack of proper sanitation and still relevant today.

QUIZ: Are you one of the 2.5 billion? #WorldToiletDay

More than 2.5 billion people around the world suffer from improper sanitation. In honor of World Toilet Day, we can determine if you're one of them by this simple quiz. Take it and see.

CHILDREN: New Sesame Street muppet stands up for health, sanitation, education

Photo by John Barrett. Posted by Sesame Workshop 2014.

Sesame Street's newest muppet, Raya, is six years old. She's aqua green with sandals on her feet. She has a fantastic memory.

She also knows the health challenges children her age face in countries like Bangladesh, India and Nigeria.

In the Gates Foundation's efforts to "engage children with important messages surrounding proper latrine use and sanitation," Raya and Sesame Workshop are the latest foundation partners in education, according to USA Today.

As attention is turned to the clean-water and sanitation challenges of more than one billion people around the world, it is important to be creative in communicating these difficult realities. We believe this is a great idea, and it kicked off in a "Cleaner, Happier, Healthier" campaign starring Raya and Elmo.

#WorldToiletDay: Why a singing toilet? Because singing toilet.

Your next visit to the bathroom will never be the same.

WaterAid wants all of us to say #ThankYouToilet and be grateful for the gift of sanitation that more than 2 billion people worldwide suffer without. A cute video with a very serious message (and a hummable tune).

Learn more about us and our connection to World Toilet Day and we'll thank you, too.

EVENT: World Toilet Day. (Yes, it's for real. Yes, it's important.)

November 19 is World Toilet Day. How might you celebrate?

WTD calls attention to the 2.5 billion people around the world lack access to proper sanitation.

If you're following this blog, or our Twitter streams or our Facebook page, you know we have no problem with clean potty humor or more serious discussions about the water cycle or wastewater treatment. But WTD is about more than that.

RELATED NEWS: Common diseases associated with sanitation, via UNICEF

As its mission statement points out, "World Toilet Day is not just about toilet humor, or an attempt to make toilets sexy. World Toilet Day has a serious purpose: it aims to stimulate dialogue about sanitation and break the taboo that still surrounds this issue. In addition, it supports advocacy that highlights the profound impact of the sanitation crisis in a rigorous manner, and seeks to bring to the forefront the health and emotional consequences, as well as the economic impact of inadequate sanitation."

The Sewer District has been in the clean-water business since 1972 where we have helped reduce pollution and bring a nearly dead river and damaged Great Lake back to life. Combine that with a 25-year program to reduce bacteria in Lake Erie and all sorts of infrastructure work, it makes sense that we would support World Toilet Day to bring appreciation to the clean-water and sanitation access we enjoy—while billions of people suffer without it.

top photo credit: Corey Ann via photopin cc | bottom image credit: NEORSD

COMMENTARY: World Water Day highlights something Great many of us take for granted

Even in a city where the river once oozed rather than flowed, it can be easy to take such amazing natural resources for granted.

Friday is World Water Day, a celebration of safe drinking water and sanitation, and this year's campaign promotes sustainable management of the world's limited freshwater resources.