March4Water

An observance month to raise awareness about how communities can build resilience to water stress.

Our Water is Stressed

From droughts to floods. From Legionella to healthcare-acquired infections. From drinking water issues in Nome TX, Flint, MI and Jackson, MS to lead in our pipes. Communities that lack plumbing resilience suffer higher consequences from human suffering and economic loss.

More than 2.2 million people in the United States

live without running water or basic plumbing in their homes.

More than 2.3 billion people globally

do not have access to safely managed drinking water.

When stress happens to human beings, it is our response to stress — our resiliency — that makes the difference between struggling and thriving.

It is the same thing with water. Just as there are many paths to human resiliency, so too with water. Safe drinking water and wastewater removal is a local issue due to variances such as in regional climate and existing infrastructure.

Water resilience is what March4Water month is all about. March4Water is an observance month from The IAPMO Group, the world-leading technical experts on safe and effective plumbing systems. Codes and standards developed by our researchers are easily customizable at the local level, building water resiliency in lockstep with housing affordability.

About March4Water Month

Each week in March — which also includes World Plumbing Day (March 11) and World Water Day (March 22) — will focus on the different water stresses across the US with tips for how to ensure all communities are safeguarded and ready for the future.

“More than ever, our communities face new challenges related to water and wastewater systems,” said Dave Viola, The IAPMO Group CEO and World Plumbing Council deputy chair. “Extreme weather events, sea level rise, and the aging infrastructure systems that govern our water supply increase the risks to our families without strong science-based codes and standards.”

“Water systems and plumbing standards are largely hometown issues because there are so many variables that impact different regions,” said Dain Hansen, IAPMO executive vice president of Government Relations. “March4Water Month is about raising awareness at the grassroots level about how best to address local water policy and plumbing standards to keep people safe while making the best use of resources and promoting affordable homes and buildings.”

March4Water Resource Links

Plumbing Resiliency Toolkit for Communities

Resilient communities start with plumbing. Plumbing codes need to address regional differences in climate, infrastructure, and water quality. That’s why IAPMO created this Plumbing Resiliency Toolkit, rooted in the science behind the world’s leading plumbing codes, to assist community leaders, policymakers, and construction professionals with detailed guidance specific to their local water stressors.

Access The Plumbing Resiliency Toolkit

March4Water Promotional Kit

Spread the word about March4Water month by sharing ways our water is stressed and how the plumbing industry is the solution to keep families and communities safe. Share our videos and visual educational content on social media, blog posts, and websites, or create your own content to tell the story about water stresses in your region and the good local work of the plumbing industry.

Access the March4Water Promotional Kit