Dow Joins IBM to Discuss Role of Technology in Addressing Global Water Challenge

MIDLAND, Mich., March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Water is the single most important
chemical compound for the preservation of human life and is one of the key
enablers of the creation of wealth. Yet today, more than a billion people do
not have access to safe drinking water and essential production processes are
impacted by water scarcity. Against this backdrop The Dow Chemical Company
(Dow) was proud to collaborate with IBM on their Global Innovation Outlook
(GIO) on Water - a series of brainstorming sessions around the world, which
brought together hundreds of the world's leading water management experts to
discuss strategies for improving the efficiency of the world's water systems.
The end report was published March 16, 2009.

"Dow believes that providing sustainable resolution to the global water
challenge requires a collaborative approach from governments, businesses and
humanitarian organizations," said Neil C. Hawkins, Dow vice president,
Sustainability. "Participating in IBM's multi-stakeholder GIO process
certainly allowed us to learn the perspectives from other key stakeholders and
exchange ideas on how technology can help address the challenges we face."

"The sessions revealed that society and business are facing some complex
challenges when it comes to understanding and managing water resources on this
planet. Without sufficient insight into factors affecting water supply and
usage you increasingly run the risk of failure," said Sharon Nunes, Vice
President for Big Green Innovations at IBM. "Technology will play an important
role in supplying water to the billions of future urban dwellers. Smart
infrastructure will provide solutions to address urbanization."

Dow's commitment to Water
At Dow, the commitment to water is translated into concrete activities around
the development of products and solutions to increase affordability, ensuring
quality and access to drinking water and optimization of the company's own
water use.

These activities are in part driven by the company's 2015 Sustainability
Goals:

-- Drive a 35 percent reduction in the cost of water reuse and
desalination, through component technology advances.
-- Be a key enabler of low-cost technologies and business models for
small
water treatment systems in the developing world.
-- Develop and implement minimal discharge plant designs while
continuously
improving Dow's water use efficiency.
-- Catalyze awareness and action on the global safe water crisis through
leading innovative partnerships with corporations, NGOs and government
agencies.

The Dow Water Solutions business is focusing all of its technologies squarely
on the problem of fresh water scarcity. These technologies center on
desalination, purification, water re-use, and efficiency, and include reverse
osmosis membranes, ultra-filtration membranes, arsenic removal media, and ion
exchange resins.

Since 1994, Dow has reduced waste water globally by 38 percent - despite
production rising by 32 percent.

For more information on the IBM Global Innovation Outlook on Water
http://www.ibm.com/ibm/gio/water.html

About Dow Water Solutions
Dow Water Solutions is a performance-based business unit comprised of leading
world-class brands and enabling component technologies designed to advance the
science of water purification around the world, including seawater
desalination, contaminant removal and water reuse. With more than 1,000
employees worldwide, the business maintains five production facilities
globally to manufacture, market and sell reverse osmosis membranes, ion
exchange resins, titanium-based arsenic removal media, ultrafiltration, and
electrodeionization components. Dow Water Solutions also manufactures, markets
and sells premier water purification systems in China. For additional
information about Dow Water Solutions products, visit
www.dowwatersolutions.com.

About Dow
With annual sales of $58 billion and 46,000 employees worldwide, Dow is a
diversified chemical company that combines the power of science and technology
with the "Human Element" to constantly improve what is essential to human
progress. The Company delivers a broad range of products and services to
customers in around 160 countries, connecting chemistry and innovation with
the principles of sustainability to help provide everything from fresh water,
food and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging and personal care products.
References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information
about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

SOURCE The Dow Chemical Company

Peter Paul Van De Wijs, The Dow Chemical Company, +41-44-728-2108,
PVanDeWijs@dow.com