Public awareness of the impending world water crisis is an important prerequisite to create a responsible citizenship capable of participating to improve world water management. In this context, the case of a unique global water education outreach exercise, World Water Monitoring Day of October 18, is presented. Started in 2002 in the United States, currently World Water Monitoring Day is celebrated in 50 countries by more than 75,000 participants per year. Review of this exercise in terms of public environmental education and possible transferrability to to other global issues of importance is discussed. (Contains 1 table, 1 figure, and 1 postscript.)