Make a Ripple This World Water Day

Join the Nalgene Water Fund in Helping the U.S. Water Crisis

World Water Day, held on March 22 every year since 1993, raises awareness for the 2.2 billion people worldwide living without access to safe water and advocates for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6: Sustainable access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) for all by 2030.

For many, the day focuses attention on the world’s most impoverished, underdeveloped nations. But would it surprise you to learn that nearly 2.2 million+ people living in America — the most developed nation on Earth – also lack daily access to clean water, running toilets, and plumbing that the rest of us take for granted?

Children on the Navajo Nation gather to wash their hands with clean water.

Seems unimaginable…right?

We create signature Nalgene bottles – sometimes beautifully designed by local artists – to raise awareness and funds to help U.S. communities impacted by the growing domestic water gap. We also use the heft of our website, social media, paid and earned media to educate the masses and implore them not to take for granted the water that runs so easily from their tap. 

By the numbers, the U.S. water crisis is startling: 

  • 1.4 million people in the United States and 250,000 people in Puerto Rico lack access to hot and cold running water, a sink, a shower/bath, or a flush toilet. An additional 553,000 homeless people lack equitable access to running water and sanitation in America.
  • More than 44 million people in the USA are served by water systems that recently had health-based Safe Drinking Water Act violations.
  • African-American and Latinx households are nearly twice as likely to lack complete plumbing than white households, and Native American households are 19 times more likely making race the strongest predictor of water and sanitation access in the United States.
  • Lack of adequate water infrastructure is the root cause, not living off the grid and the problem extends across the whole USA.  Entire communities from California to Pennsylvania lack access to water and sanitation because of historical and geographical factors in the United States.

Source: Dig Deep’s and the U.S. Water Alliance’s 2019 report entitled “Closing the Water Access Gap in the United States” 

Dig Deep works to fill cisterns with clean water that can be distributed to residents who live on the Reservation.

The Nalgene Water Fund In Action

These statistics only scratch the surface on the full extent of the problem so the Nalgene Water Fund is also hard at work putting the dollars we raise through the sale of our Nalgene Water Fund bottles to work with local nonprofits fighting to right this wrong in US communities:

  • Flint, Michigan: In 2020, through a partnership with Freshwater Future and Thermo-Fisher Scientific, the NWF donated more than $650,000 to the Flint Community Lab in state-of-the-art laboratory instruments, critical funding and reusable bottles used for both water sample collection and continued use at home.  In 2022, the NWF will send a second installment of 7,000 Nalgene bottles for collecting local water samples for testing.
  • Navajo Nation: In 2021, the NWF partnered with Jaden Redhair, a local Navajo designer to create the “Water is Life” bottle, which to date has raised more than $45,000 toward efforts to improve access to clean water on the Navajo Nation in partnership with two Navajo nonprofits:  C.O.P.E and Dig Deep. In 2022, the NWF is working with Redhair on a second “Water is Life” bottle design whose funds will again benefit Dig Deep’s Navajo Water Project, ultimately aiding in better sanitation systems, job training, and employment opportunities.
  • Benton Harbor, Michigan: In 2021, the NWF contributed more than $16,000 to install eight water refill stations that filter out lead in schools and also send nearly 3,000 Nalgene bottles to schools located in Benton Harbor, MI.  The NWF’s donation ensures that all students in grades K-12 have access to clean drinking water and bottles to drink it from. In 2022, water samples from all the fountains will be taken monthly and shipped to the Flint Community Lab for testing to determine filter maintenance and keep the refill stations working hard! 

How Can You Help this World Water Day? Join the Nalgene Water Fund in Closing the Domestic Water Gap

The work of the Nalgene Water Fund has only just begun. Education, advocacy, and conservation remain priority initiatives to combat the growing inequities in water access in the United States. Help us, help the many nonprofits and people working hard to right this injustice. Purchase one of the limited edition 32 oz. Nalgene Water Fund bottles designed to support domestic water issues. $5 from the sale of every NWF bottle goes toward closing the U.S. water gap.

Nalgene Water Fund Exclusive Bottle
NWF Featured Image_ Navajo Times
Nalgene Drops New Collection of Eye-Popping, Color Block Water Bottles 
Read Now ›
Nalgene Outdoor’s New Limited-Edition Psychedelic Bottles Offer a Fun and Functional Break from Everyday Reality
Read Now ›
Nalgene Water Fund Donates $10K to Dig Deep’s Navajo Water Project on Giving Tuesday
Read Now ›
Nalgene Outdoor Introduces Epic Water Filters’ Everywhere Bottle Filter to Its Line Up
Read Now ›
Customized Nalgene water bottle with the name "Tyler" and dog sticker handing from classroom coat hook.
Nalgene’s Best Bottles and Hacks to Keep the Return to School (and Routine) Simple!
Read Now ›
Nalgene Outdoor Converts Manufacturing to 50% Certified Recycled Material 
Read Now ›
Nalgene Outdoor’s Iconic Water Bottle Drops in Fashion-Inspired Monochrome Hues
Read Now ›
Nalgene Water Fund Introduces Second Bottle to Support the Navajo Nation
Read Now ›
A Sit Down with Diné  Designer Jaden Redhair
Read Now ›
Nalgene Water Fund Strengthens Commitment to Navajo Nation Water Crisis Through Additional Donations to DigDeep and COPE
Read Now ›
Flint Community Lab Accelerates Efforts for Residential Water Testing
Read Now ›
10 Clean Water Projects We’re Inspired By
Read Now ›
@anjamoyeli
Built to Last: 17 Wild & Rugged Places Where Your Nalgene Bottle Can Withstand The Forces of Nature
Read Now ›
Digital Nomad Revolution: How to Become Part of the New Traveling Workforce
Read Now ›
Why We Should All Drink More Water
Read Now ›
7 Times Our Plastic Containers Saved the Day
Read Now ›
Three people sitting on a picnic blanket and holding up their Wide Mouth Nalgene bottles in a "cheers" motion
8 of our Best Selling Wide Mouth Water Bottles
Read Now ›
This World Water Day: Make a Ripple in the U.S. Water Crisis By Supporting the Nalgene Water Fund
Read Now ›
Collection of Nalgene Bottles
Let’s Find Out What We’re Made Of: Getting to Know Tritan
Read Now ›
Two girls standing in front of the ruins of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece
On the Road: How I Went from Working a Desk Job to Traveling the World
Read Now ›
Image of a rocky beach with people enjoying the view
Fun Outdoor Activities You Haven’t Tried (Yet)
Read Now ›
Custom Water Bottles That Make Everyone Smile
Read Now ›
Where the Wildflowers Are: Cycling Tips for the New Bike Rider
Read Now ›
Thirsty? Take a Sip! Where Does Water Come From?
Read Now ›
Blue Silo
Staying Hydrated: On Hikes, On Bikes, and With Teeny, Tiny Tykes!
Read Now ›
The Most Inspiring Recycled Materials Projects Designed This Year
Read Now ›
Long Live the Nalgene Bottle! Understanding the Life Cycle of Recycled Plastic Bottles
Read Now ›
Nalgene Water Fund Helps Benton Harbor, MI Students Start School Year with Clean Drinking Water
Read Now ›
The Environmental Benefits of Buying Water Bottles Made in the USA
Read Now ›
Back to School Essential
Read Now ›
Why You Should Care: What BPA Free Means to Your Body and the Environment
Read Now ›
Hiker holding a Nalgene water bottle in front of a mountain lake
Rylee Made It Hers
Read Now ›
Nalgene At Home Kids Clean Up
How to Clean Your Nalgene Bottles
Read Now ›
Dig Deep Donation Announcement
Read Now ›
Affiliate Content_1
We Made It Simple… Michelle + Kenya Made It Theirs
Read Now ›
Nalgene Outdoor and Jill & Ally Partner on Limited Edition “Tell Me Everything” Bottle
Read Now ›
Colorful Nalgene Bottles
This Earth Day: Nalgene Commits to and Celebrates A More Sustainable Future
Read Now ›
NWF Featured Image_ Navajo Times
Water is Life. Sharing Navajo Nation with the World.
Read Now ›
2020_11_16_PB_Nalgene_WaterFundBottle_WakeTopDown_Wide
The U.S. Water Crisis by the Numbers: Help Nalgene Close the Gap this World Water Day
Read Now ›
Single-Use Sustain GIF
New Products Kickoff Year-Long Goal to Convert All Bottle Production to Tritan Renew
Read Now ›
Sarah Eggplant Purple Water Bottle with Dog
Sarah Made It Hers.
Read Now ›
Thermofischer scientists in a lab making nalgene bottles
Community Water Lab Opens in Flint, Michigan
Read Now ›
Nalgene 32 oz Sustainable Bottles Lifestyle photo
Nalgene Sustain Awarded Popular Science’s “Best of What’s New” 2020 Innovation Award
Read Now ›
Nalgene Water Fund Navajo Bottle
Nalgene Water Fund Pledges Support to Combat Water Crisis on Navajo Nation
Read Now ›
Nalgene Sustain Featured Image PR
Nalgene Launches New “ Sustain” line made from, Tritan™ Renew
Read Now ›
World Water Day Archives - Nalgene

Free shipping on orders over $20. Contiguous US only.