National Drinking Water Month

Did you know that there is an entire month dedicated to drinking water? Well, now you do, and it’s called May! Somewhat surprisingly, Culligan, an international bulk water distributor, declared this monthly celebration. The purpose is to raise awareness “about the importance of healthy, clean and safe drinking water.” And, they are right, it is important to gain access to safe, potable water. But, what I find interesting is that a company that makes this access difficult to many in need is the one promoting it. 

Don’t get me wrong, I totally see the value in doing so – it makes their brand look like they’re a part of the solution, it gives the impression they care and aren’t only interested in the sales, etc – and this is incredibly smart, as far as the strategy behind it goes. But, we all know this is nothing more than a marketing ploy. Considering 3.4 million people die each year from water-related causes, and an estimated 783 million don’t have access to clean water. The bottled water industry is destroying a huge chunk of the global population’s ability to obtain even the most basic amounts of water, and all in the name of $$$$$$$$. 

As fascinating as this industry is, particularly the part that indicates that the majority of sales growth was the result of virtually no marketing whatsoever, I find it extremely difficult to believe that Culligan, or any other similar company has “best intentions” in mind. 

I think we should certainly use this month to bring awareness to the fact that so many people are not as fortunate as those of us living in the Global North, but let’s do so by educating ourselves on the malicious (whether intended or not) practices of companies like Nestlé, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Danone, etc!