PROCLAMATION

• Water is vital to the sustainability of life and has no existing substitute.

• The world's population of 6.3 billion is projected to increase to nearly 9 billion before leveling off.

• The population of the United States exceeds 291 million and it is estimated to increase to 600 million by the year 2100.

• 1.2 billion people worldwide already lack an adequate safe water supply.

• Five to seven million people die annually from water-related diseases, including 2.2 million children under the age of five.

• Twenty percent of the world's population in 30 countries face water shortages today, a figure expected to rise to 30 percent of the world's population in 50 countries by 2025.

• Many water shortages stem from inefficient use, or unsustainable use of underground water in aquifiers, which can take thousands of years to replace.

• The theme of World Population Awareness Week 2003 is "Water: the 21st Century Crisis."

NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council and Mayor, on behalf of the citizens of Ashland, hereby proclaim October 20 - 25, 2003, as

WORLD POPULATION AWARENESS WEEK

and urge all of our citizens to conserve water whenever and wherever they can and, further, reflect on ways to ensure adequate safe water supplies for future generations.

Dated this 21st day of October, 2003.

Alan DeBoer, Mayor

Barbara Christensen, City Recorder

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