Water is one of humanity's most basic needs, yet 1.1 billion people around the world do not have access to safe drinking water. Diseases related to unsafe water kill between 2 million and 5 million people every year, and sicken millions of others.

Through the application of innovative chemistry, Dow is committed to ensuring greater access to water by addressing challenges including fresh water scarcity and inefficient water use for irrigation. Dow will develop innovative technologies and business models that lower the cost of water purification, set new levels for efficient water use at Dow's manufacturing facilities, and use creative partnerships to increase the global sense of urgency to solve this problem.

As both the presenting sponsor of Blue Planet Run — an unprecedented 15,200 mile run around the world to raise awareness of the drinking water and sanitation crisis — and as a member of the U.N. Foundation's Global Water Challenge, Dow is committed to ending the needless suffering and death caused by lack of access to safe water.

Dow supports full funding for the recently enacted Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act (P.L. 109-121), which made safe water and sanitation in the developing world an official U.S. foreign policy goal.

Achievements: 

• In 2003, Dow sites and businesses reduced water needs by nearly 20 million metric tons (5.28 billion gallons) and delivered value of $15 million to Dow through better resource management.
• Dow keeps water safe for consumption and recreation by constantly improving water purification and treatment systems.