#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.

EVENTS: Celebrate #WorldWaterDay weekend with @CLEaquarium, @goCMNH, @CleveMetroparks

World Water Day is a celebration of the resource many of us take for granted and the work it takes to keep it clean.

It's worth celebrating in a special way this year—Cleveland's Year of Clean Water—and there are three fun family opportunities to do so March 20-22.

Enjoy the Greater Cleveland Aquarium with Drink Local. Drink Tap. the morning of Friday, March 20, stop by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History on Saturday, March 21 and then round out the festivities at World Water Day Sunday at the Cleveland Metroparks Watershed Stewardship Center at West Creek. Each event will be filled with hands-on activities, photo opportunities, and more.

See a complete list of 2015 Year of Clean Water events on Cleveland Water Alliance's 2015 event calendar, and the more you attend, the more chances you have to win their Year of Clean Water Tour & Sweepstakes.

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.

WORLD WATER DAY: The value of clean water, made personal.

A young resident of Maslakh camp (Afghanistan) takes a drink of water. UN Photo/E. Debebe

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.

We are proud to support WWD programs that help residents understand how Cleveland's urban water cycle works and relate it to the water-quality realities and struggles that still exist today.

Two local World Water Day celebrations include Drink Local. Drink Tap.'s Wavemaker Program students' trip to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium March 20, and Cleveland Metroparks' "Go Global" festivities at the Watershed Stewardship Center at West Creek March 22.

Consider the West Virgina chemical spill that knocked out water supplies for weeks. Imagine the need to trek for clean water for yourself or your family from a distant source miles away. Sometimes making it personal makes a difference.

There are countless ways to make World Water Day inspirational. Communicate, educate, donate, however you choose to support the cause, it's not to late.

RECAP: H2O my! World Water Day at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium

March 22 was World Water Day, an event to draw attention to water and sanitation issues around the globe. We were proud to help bring more than 300 students to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium, an educational event coordinated by Drink Local. Drink Tap.

Here's why, and here are some of the day's photos.

TECH: Drinking water out of thin air

Genius.

In a region where the annual rainfall is practically zero, but the atmospheric humidity is 98%, a university designed a billboard that draws potable water out of the air.

Here's more on the story. Very fitting as we prepare to celebrate World Water Day this Friday.

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.

NEWS: More Americans are drinking water, but better to break the bottled habit

As New York's ban on sugary drinks is on hold, an AP story today reports Americans' latest bottled-drink love affair is with good ol' H2O.

Candice Choi's story in the Denver Post states Americans drink about 44 gallons of soda per year, compared to 58 gallons of water. Since 1998, consumption of bottled water has doubled to make up 21 gallons of that total.

We're all for a tall glass of the clear stuff, but we do encourage you to turn on the tap instead of turning to the twist-off top.

EVENT: World Water Day march turns students' attention to lake, resources

Your Sewer District partnered with Drink Local. Drink Tap. along with the Cleveland Division of Water and other partners to help more than 200 local middle- and high-school students better understand the value of clean water and our own water resources.

In celebration of World Water Day, DLDT coordinated a march from Cleveland City Hall to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in which each student carried at least four liters of water. The action symbolized the long walk many young people in other countries must walk to fetch water for their families, and their daily struggles against water-borne diseases.

NewsChannel 5 was there and interviewed Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and DLDT's Erin Huber to learn more about the event. Our own Wally Waterdrop even made an appearance.