World Water Day is celebrated every year on 22 March to raise awareness and draw attention to the availability and quality of water resources, encouraging everyone to recognise the importance of water and to take care of one of our planet’s most essential resources. World Water Day has been organised by the United Nations since 1993, linking its activities with the UN’s development and environmental policy goals. Each year, a specific theme is chosen to highlight a particular water‑related issue, such as access to safe drinking water, water pollution, water quality, the impact of climate change, or the protection of aquatic ecosystems. This year, the focus is on water and equality. In many parts of the world, safe drinking water is not available close to home. In countries with severe water scarcity, the responsibility for fetching water often falls on women and even young girls. This reduces their opportunities to receive an education, be competitive, and participate in social activities.
For decades, the scientific community in Latvia has been working on researching water‑related environmental issues, covering areas such as the chemical and microbiological composition of water, the sustainability of ecosystems, and innovative purification technologies. On the science communication platform researchLatvia, anyone can explore Latvian researchers and their stories about water research.
Since 2018, the Ministry of Education and Science has been creating an annual calendar to highlight the strength and diversity of Latvian science. The Science Calendar showcases various contemporary Latvian scientists and their achievements.
To mark World Water Day, we invite you to watch video stories about the research of scientists featured in the “Research Latvia” calendar (2018–2026) whose work is related to water:
Latvia is rich not only in water resources but also in scientists who, day after day, contribute to water research and explore the latest solutions in water purification, ensuring that our natural wealth is preserved for future generations. This work would not be possible without close cooperation between research institutes, universities, public institutions, and industry companies, whose contributions strengthen the development of knowledge and the implementation of practical solutions.
We express our sincere gratitude to all scientists and specialists for their dedication, professionalism, and commitment to Latvia’s sustainable future!
Did you know?
As early as 2019, the association Latvian Water and Sewerage Companies Association, the RTU Institute of Water Systems and Biotechnology, and the café chains Innocent Cafe and Rocket Bean Roastery joined forces to create the socially responsible initiative “Ū vitamīns”. Its goal is to encourage public establishments to provide free drinking water while motivating the public not to hesitate to ask for it.
Latvian Research Organisations Involved in Water‑Related Research
| Category | Institution | Research Areas (Water-related) |
|---|---|---|
| Universities | University of Latvia | Hydrology, climate impacts, water quality, geography |
| Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Latvia | Inland waters, hydrology, aquatic ecosystems | |
| Riga Technical University | Water treatment technologies, environmental engineering | |
| Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies | Water management, agricultural impacts on water | |
| Daugavpils University | Aquatic ecosystems, hydroecology, biology | |
| Riga Stradiņš University | Water microbiology, public health | |
| State Research Institutes | Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Latvia | Baltic Sea ecosystems, pollution, hydrochemistry |
| Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology, agency of Daugavpils University | Research in aquatic ecology | |
| Institute of Biology, University of Latvia | Freshwater ecology, aquatic organisms, biodiversity | |
| Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment “BIOR” | Water quality, fish resources, aquaculture | |
| Institute of Agricultural Resources and Economics | Agricultural impacts on water resources | |
| Monitoring and Applied Research | Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre | Surface water monitoring, hydrology, climate data |
