World Water Day (March 22) provides a stark reminder that fresh water is our most precious natural resource. WWF points out that 1.1 billion people lack access to clean water, 2.7 billion face water scarcity for at least one month of the year, and 2.4 billion are exposed to waterborne illnesses due to inadequate sanitation. The range of threats to groundwater and surface water is mind-numbing – industrial pollution, agricultural run-off, sedimentation, land conversion, to name a few. Now, water security is at even greater risk as a result of climate change. This short article describes this connection, then points to one of the positive developments on the water front – the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), the first comprehensive global benchmark for responsible water stewardship.