The United Nations has recognized the right to clean water as a human right. On July 28, 2010, the UN General Assembly adopted a corresponding resolution by 122 votes to nil. 41 countries abstained. Approval came from among others Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Norway. In the resolution, the Assembly expressed concern that an estimated 884 million people worldwide have no access to safe drinking water. More than 2.6 billion have no access to sanitation facilities.

The German specialty chemicals group LANXESS makes an important contribution to solving current and future water supply problems. The company offers a whole range of innovative products that aid the tapping, securing and low-cost purification of water – and also to effectively save the precious liquid. At the beginning of the year, LANXESS had declared 2010 worldwide as the year of water.