| Added by |
 Alain Martineau
|
| General Description : | Serie: 392, Type: P, Stamps in serie: 2 The stamps have been issued in se-tenant, in a 20-stamp sheet, and the First Day Cover (FDC) was also issued. One of the three fundamental natural elements that surround man on Earth is water. It can be found almost everywhere. It is the main constituent element of the Earth's surface, covering almost three-quarters of its surface, and it is also a constituent part of the atmosphere and part of the total weight of all living organisms. This is why we can say that water, together with oxygen, carbon, nitrogen and the solar energy represent the basis of life. This is probably where the symbolic of water comes from as a precondition of life, culture and the economic power of every country. As one of the crucial elements of the environment, water appears in four basic forms: spring and surface fresh waters, subterranean waters, sea waters and atmospheric vapour. In the biosphere we find water in permanent circulation, and this makes it a renewable resource. It is the habitat of a great number of organisms, an imperative factor in the processes of photosynthesis, a solvent for all edible substances, food for all living organisms, an important transmitter of energy in its biogeochemical cycle and a significant chemical regulator due to its characteristics, the processes of vaporization and condensation and the high thermal capacity within the total thermal balance of the Earth. Water, the irreplaceable partner of the contemporary man, tamed, directed, plentiful and in quantities that indicate civilisational and cultural needs, is mercilessly exploited and even more polluted. This is why the anthropogenic impact of the man upon the total water cycle should be considered with caution. The lifelong correlation between water and health demands from people all over our globe to pay permanent attention to the rational management of water resources, the quality and also quantity of water, primarily drinking water. The state of affairs concerning supplies of clean and healthy water in the world is rather worrying. It is estimated that almost 1.1 billion people have no access to quality water, and 2.4 billion live without fundamental sanitary equipment. This is the reason why the World Health Organization has passed a special RESOLUTION ON WATER, with the expressive demand that adequate care and attention should be dedicated to water as the source and absolute precondition of life. The European action plan, uniting the plan "Health and environment" of individual European countries, brought up the demand to treat water as a precious and public resource, and asked for permanent care concerning the hygienically correct water supply, as well as proper disposal of waste. In accordance with this attitude, the Republic of Croatia has passed the State programme for the protection of waters "Environment and health", that determines the fundamental directives, activities and measures with the goal of maintaining, improving and achieving the unity of the water regime in a defined area. This concerns a decrease of industrial production; the determination of prerequisites for construction of objects that could be harmful to the environment, the flora and fauna; preventing and limiting the release of waste substances, i.e. the efficiency of the cleansing of the sewage; preservation of the still clean upper flows of rivers and mountain water streams; preservation of subterranean waters as the only remaining clean water supply. There is an evident need to save, rationally use and protect water. All the respective governmental and municipal bodies, as well as every citizen in his/her everyday life can contribute to that. It is inevitable to work on the information and education concerning the elementary culture of water usage, and the issuing of this postage stamp is yet another opportunity to be reminded of the necessity that great care should be paid to healthy water supplies and the securing of hygienically correct sewage disposal. |
| Face value | 5 Kuna |
| Catalog code (Michel) | HR 571 |
| Catalog code | Stamp Number HR 451b Yvert et Tellier HR 538 Stanley Gibbons HR 656 AFA number HR 647 Croatian post Inc. HR 392 |
| Series | Europa water |
| Stamp colour | multicolor |
| Stamp use | Commemorative stamp |
| Print run | 350,000 |
| Issue date | 09/05/2001 |
| Designer | Maja Franić |
| Paper type | white 102g, gummed |
| Print technique | Multicoloured Offsetprint |
| Printed by | Zrinski - Čakovec |
| Perforation | 14, comb |
| Height | 30.00 mm |
| Width | 36.00 mm |
| Catalog prices | Unused stamp $1.00 |
