Dr Rupa Huq, MP for Ealing Central and Acton has highlighted the importance of access to safe and clean water during this year’s UN World Water Day (22 March 2025) at events that took place at the House of Commons and Buckingham Palace.
With charity Wateraid, Dr Huq hosted a special reception for MPs and Lords at the House of Commons while at Buckingham Palace she met with His Majesty King Charles III.
According to Wateraid 703 million people in the world, nearly one in ten, do not have clean water close to home while 2.2 billion people in the world don’t have safe water.
Both events were part of Dr Huq’s work as chair of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene All Party Parliamentary Group (WASH APPG) which is run in conjunction with Wateraid.
At Dr Huq’s event, MPs who attended committed to raising the issue of clean water with the government and ensuring water is safe for those using it around the world. She said: “It’s crucial that aid investment in water and sanitation infrastructure for those in need continues to be at the forefront of development spending and I’m pleased to be leading the APPG with Wateraid who have such longstanding Parliamentary support and Royal approval.
“The importance of freshwater is a key objective for everyone worldwide and it was great to campaign alongside the fantastic Wateraid and meet their young ambassadors who are so passionate and inspiring about their work.”
The MP for Ealing Central and Acton added: “In an age of climate change which threatens water supply we need to ensure we combat lack of access to water, sanitation and hygiene and in turn eliminate connected deaths and infections. Sadly the way Thames Water is carrying on something so basic as clean water is on its way to becoming less of a given in the UK.”
At the Buckingham Palace Water and Climate reception, hosted by the King as a Wateraid patron, Dr Huq revealed it was her first visit to the Palace.
She said: “It was my first visit to Buckingham Palace and a day I’ll never forget. I saw a number of stars including Zandra Rhodes and Angelica Bell (who was at school with my sister and is daughter of former Ealing council leader Julian Bell) and even some constituents. The biggest stars though were the
campaigners and his Majesty who I got to speak to.”
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