Today is World Water Day and more than ever people around the world need to find better ways to save water. To support the cause Colgate, American workers as well as families are encouraging others to save water by turning off the faucet while brushing their teeth. Water is one of life’s most basic needs, yet it’s essential to our survival. In many regions of the world, water is an increasingly scarce resource.

The fact is Americans who leave the water running while brushing their teeth waste up to four gallons of water. This is why Colgate developed a “Save Water” campaign to remind people who every drop counts. Since 2005, Colgate has saved enough water to fill 7,300 plus Olympic sized swimming pools by encouraging people to do these three easy steps:

1. Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth
2. Make a personal pledge online to save water and help family, friends and co-workers do the same by using #EveryDropCounts to signify saving four gallons of water
3. Spread the word to save water and make those around you aware of the importance of water conservation and encourage people to learn more information at Colgate.com/EveryDropCounts

To put it short, the small act of turning off your faucet while brushing your teeth can make a big difference in the world. We can all do our part in combating global water shortages.

As for oral hygiene, The American Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day. Turning off the faucet while brushing your teeth can save up to 3,000 gallons of water per year – that’s nearly 50,000 glasses of water. Use the hashtag #EveryDropCounts to show us how you save water.