Industry Experts Join GE For Panel Discussion on World’s Growing Water Crisis

World Water Day Panel Explores How Technology, Sustainable Design, Policy, Partnerships & Future Can Make A Difference

TREVOSE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On World Water Day, GE Water & Process Technologies, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), held an open panel discussion at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York to discuss and explore key issues, challenges, and solutions critical in addressing the world’s growing water scarcity crisis. The panel, comprised of experts from the architecture, financial, sustainable design, and water treatment sectors, challenged the students to be aware of the mounting water worries facing the world and to use their unique talents to make a difference in solving water scarcity, quality and cost issues.

“Water scarcity is a global challenge that requires awareness and action from all stakeholders,” said Jeff Fulgham, GE Water & Process Technologies. “Governments, industry, NGOs, policy and decision makers, will all be instrumental in shaping and implementing the solutions that can help alleviate the impact water scarcity can have on societies and economies. Today’s panel provided a chance to educate and increase awareness about the realities of where we are currently headed and to discuss areas where we can come together to make a real difference.”

The 2007 UN World Water Day focuses on the increasing global significance of the world’s water scarcity crisis and the need for increased integration and cooperation to ensure sustainable, efficient and equitable management of scarce water resources at the international and local level. According to the UN, today one out of five people (1.1 billion) lack sufficient access to healthy, usable water and 6,000 people die each day from water related diseases. Over the next 20 years that number is expected to rapidly grow to an estimated 3 out of 5 individuals living without access to a freshwater source.

As part of GE’s World Water Day efforts, GE Water & Process Technologies commissioned Lena Imamura, a Cooper Union art student, to create a sculpture that reflects the global water scarcity crisis. GE commissioned the sculpture to serve as a reminder of the many challenges facing the current state of the world’s water sources and to drive awareness around the need for further involvement by all. The sculpture will be on exhibit throughout the year at The Cooper Union Art Gallery in New York City.

GE has also created a special web site for World Water Day, showcasing GE’s global projects that use advanced technologies to lessen demand on fresh water sources, protect public health, and preserve the environment. The web site highlights a project in each time zone, providing a 24-hour perspective of the many technologies and applications that GE offers to solve the world’s most pressing water challenges. http://www.gewater.com/WorldWaterDay/index.jsp.