YOU ARE INVITED TO A BRIEFING ON A NEW WEB RESOURCE:

SAFE DRINKING WATER IS ESSENTIAL

WHAT:

Diseases caused by unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation are among the world's most serious public health threats, accounting for nearly 80 percent of illnesses in developing countries and killing millions of people – mostly children – each year.

The U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the Global Health and Education Foundation are joining more than 125 science, engineering, and medical academies around the world to take action on the global drinking water crisis by launching the Web site, “Safe Drinking Water Is Essential,” www.drinking-water.org.

A public briefing will be held to discuss this valuable Web resource, the first tool of its kind to provide international decision makers with peer-reviewed scientific and technical information about drinking water distribution and treatment options.

WHEN:
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
11 a.m.–12 p.m. EDT
WHERE:
Murrow Room
National Press Club
529 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC

WHO:

Ralph J. Cicerone, President, National Academy of Sciences
Kenneth Behring, Founder, Global Health and Education Foundation
Peter Gleick, President, Pacific Institute
José Tundisi, President, International Ecological Institute
Hamé Watt, International Water Supply and Sanitation Consultant

The briefing will also be audio cast live from the National Academies' website,
www.nationalacademies.org , on September 12 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. EDT.
Participants will be able to submit questions for the panelists via email.

DVD versions of the Web site will also be available at the briefing and by request.

Please call Amy Shaw, Communications Officer, at 202-334-1612 or akshaw@nas.edu to RSVP.