One Man’s Plan to End Water Scarcity for Everyone

by Alessandra Rizzotti

from Good, a magazine for the global citizen

This fall, the United Nations is preparing to launch its 17 Sustainable Development Goals—an extraordinary action plan to solve the world’s biggest problems by 2030. Over the coming months, we’ll be connecting with The Local Globalists: 17 nonprofit founders, entrepreneurs, and social innovators who are working every day, wherever they are, to turn one of the U.N.’s #globalgoals into reality

Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

It’s fall in Los Angeles, which means it’s still very warm. And with California in the midst of an epic drought, most public pools drained their water long ago. But George McGraw, an extroverted, charismatic hydrology enthusiast, chose to celebrate the void by throwing an empty pool party two weeks ago.

The party also served as a fundraiser for DigDeep—the nonprofit organization he founded—intended to raise awareness about water poverty all over the world. People went home with showerheads that conserve water, bricks for their toilets, and simple ideas about how to change their behaviors, like turning the water off while soaping up. Through these types of efforts, McGraw hopes to change how people not only understand water, but also how they use it.

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