Xylem calls for improved water resource data collection and sharing on World Water Day 2018

Xylem colleagues take part in the EarthEcho Water Monitoring
Challenge and Planet Water Foundation’s Project 24

RYE BROOK, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Xylem Inc. (NYSE:XYL), a global water technology leader, today called on
the public and private sectors to work together to improve the
collection and sharing of water data on this, World Water Day 2018.
Despite dramatic improvements in big data collection and the application
of that intelligence, the amount of on-the-ground data about water has
been declining over the past 40 years. Since 1979, the number of
stations reporting streamflow data has plummeted 40 percent, while the
number of those reporting precipitation data is down by 30 percent1.
Learn more here.

The theme of this year’s World Water Day, ‘Nature
for Water,’ explores how nature-based solutions such as planting new
forests, reconnecting rivers to floodplains, and restoring wetlands,
will help rebalance the water cycle. Enhanced water data collection will
enable communities to maximize the potential of existing nature-based
solutions and inform the development of new sustainable water resource
management approaches.

Patrick Decker, Xylem President and CEO, said, “The need for data about
our natural water resources has never been greater as leaders address
rising water demand from population growth and industrial development as
well as increasingly volatile climate patterns. The lack of robust data
about our water resources is a troubling irony in a world awash with
data. But working together, we can reverse this growing data drought. As
a global community, we can leverage smart technologies and advanced
communications networks to better monitor and understand our precious
water resources. We stand ready to partner with leaders and utility
operators to help enable their efforts to manage these resources and
ultimately, reduce the capital burden on our communities.”

Xylem’s Value
of Water Information whitepaper outlines several steps to help
overcome the global water data drought including: assessing current
water monitoring networks, committing sufficient resources for public
water data collection, exploring new models for data sharing, and
automating reporting with real-time monitoring technologies. The paper
also highlights a review of economic studies demonstrating that
hydrologic information is a sound and attractive investment, providing
at least a 4-to-1 return with direct and indirect benefits to private
actors and the general public.

As part of Xylem’s World Water Day initiatives, its employees are among
1.5 million citizens from 143 countries taking part in the EarthEcho
Water Challenge, helping to improve water data collection in their own
communities. Xylem colleagues will lead water education and water
monitoring events today with students in schools and local youth
organizations worldwide. These events will introduce young people to
their local water resources and allow them to contribute to a broader
understanding of water quality worldwide.

Xylem Watermark, the company’s social investment initiative, is
continuing its support for Puerto Rico’s rebuilding efforts from the
aftermath of Hurricane Maria by collaborating with Planet
Water Foundation on Project 24, a challenge to build 24 water
filtration towers in 24 hours. Xylem Watermark is sponsoring a tower
build in Puerto Rico, which follows the construction of 10 water towers
last November by Xylem colleagues and Planet Water. In addition, Xylem
Watermark is sponsoring tower builds in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, and
the Philippines, with local Xylem colleagues participating in the
Philippines and India projects.

Xylem Watermark kicked off its second annual Make Your Mark 30-Day
Challenge today. The Challenge is a month-long event during
which employees are encouraged to participate in activities that help
raise awareness about their local communities’ water and environmental
issues and contribute to resolving them.

About Xylem

Xylem (XYL) is a leading global water technology company committed to
developing innovative technology solutions to the world’s water
challenges. The Company’s products and services move, treat, analyze,
monitor and return water to the environment in public utility,
industrial, residential and commercial building services settings. Xylem
also provides a leading portfolio of smart metering, network
technologies and advanced infrastructure analytics solutions for water,
electric and gas utilities. The Company’s more than 16,500 employees
bring broad applications expertise with a strong focus on identifying
comprehensive, sustainable solutions. Headquartered in Rye Brook, New
York with 2017 revenue of $4.7 billion, Xylem does business in more than
150 countries through a number of market-leading product brands.

The name Xylem is derived from classical Greek and is the tissue that
transports water in plants, highlighting the engineering efficiency of
our water-centric business by linking it with the best water
transportation of all – that which occurs in nature. For more
information, please visit us at www.xylem.com.

1 Xylem Value of Water Information whitepaper: Several
studies have documented an overall decline in in-situ monitoring systems
across the world (Fekete and Robarts 2015). This decline includes a
diminishing number of precipitation gauges (Stokstad 1999), water
quality monitoring systems (Zhulidov et al. 2000), and river discharge
sensors (Fekete et al. 2012).

Contacts

Xylem
Kelly McAndrew, 914-323-5969
[email protected]
or
For
Xylem
Deirdre Connolly, +353 (85) 244 9804
[email protected]