World Water Day: Valuing and Preserving Our Most Precious Resource

On the occasion of World Water Day, Bernadette DAVIS, 2nd Vice-President in charge of Living Environment and Ecological Transition, wishes to address the entire population to highlight the essential importance of water in our daily lives and remind us why we must all act to preserve it.

“Water is not just a resource; it is life itself. It hydrates our bodies, grows our crops, sustains our economies, and shapes our ecosystems. On our island territory, where freshwater resources are almost nonexistent, we rely entirely on seawater desalination for our drinking water supply. This makes Saint Martin particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.”

This year's theme—" Preserving Glaciers, Protecting Our Future "—reminds us that melting glaciers, while distant, have direct consequences for our region. Rising sea levels, caused by the gradual disappearance of glaciers, threaten our coasts by increasing erosion and increasing our vulnerability to marine submersion.

Rising sea levels disrupt ocean and atmospheric balances, leading to ocean acidification and warming, and endangering coral reefs essential to marine biodiversity. These imbalances also promote extreme weather events, such as cyclones, which have already devastated Saint Martin.

In our daily lives, we must avoid taking water for granted. Our ability to ensure a stable and secure supply depends on efficient and sustainable management. Whether it's limiting waste by turning off the tap while brushing our teeth, or optimizing its use by installing rainwater harvesting tanks for uses that don't require drinking water, every action counts, and everyone must contribute.

Our Collectivité reaffirms its commitment to:

• Ensure sustainable access to clean and safe water for all, by investing in modern and resilient infrastructure;
• Develop innovative strategies to reduce our energy dependence linked to desalination and optimize our water resources;
• Protect our natural environments — coastlines, coral reefs and wetlands — which play a key role in the balance of our ecosystem and the protection of our coasts;
• Raise awareness and mobilize every citizen, because water preservation is a collective effort that begins with simple everyday actions

We are all stakeholders in water conservation. On this World Water Day, let us renew our commitment to protecting it, not only for today, but for future generations.

Together, let's ensure a future where water is abundant, clean and accessible to all.

Bernadette DAVIS