As nations around the globe celebrate Earth Day by recognizing the importance of environmental conservation and sustainable living, The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) delivers water solutions and technologies to water stressed communities every day. Dow makes the same technology (DOW FILMTEC™ reverse osmosis membranes) used in the most sophisticated water treatment facilities in the world practical for small communities, where raw water quality and simple disinfection methods are not adequate to produce World Health Organization (WHO) quality potable water.

Dow employs a "24 Karat Water Solutions™" approach in working with local groups and communities to understand their unmet water needs and desires. The community creates a plan for long-term sustainability, including plans for proper daily plant maintenance and a business model that generates the maintenance funds necessary to keep the systems trouble-free for at least 10 to 15 years.

Dow's 24 Karat Team gathers community input, performs basic awareness training, designs the water treatment plant to address the water quality issues and unmet needs, trains local plant operators and provides a comprehensive service program. To date, community water efforts have helped approximately 25,000 people in rural Indian communities. The water treatment plants are fully operational and run without interruption from plant maintenance issues.

The program was initiated in Gujurat, India in November 2008, where the first systems were Corporate Social Responsibility projects. The initial systems have supplied over 700,000 liters of clean drinking water to the original rural village sites. Using reverse osmosis (RO) technology developed by Dow Water & Process Solutions, the program aims to set up water purification plants to provide access to a clean drinking water supply at a minimum maintenance cost of Rupees 2 per 10 liters of water. Money raised from the sale of the water provides funds for ongoing plant operation and maintenance as well as training of local plant operators, which combined can ensure long-term sustainable pure drinking water solutions for the rural population.

About Dow Water & Process Solutions
Dow Water & Process Solutions has a 50-year legacy of providing innovative water and process solutions to both communities and industries alike. A differentiated business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, Dow Water & Process Solutions offers a broad portfolio of ion exchange resins, reverse osmosis membranes, ultrafiltration membranes and electrodeionization products, with strong positions in a number of major application areas, including industrial and municipal water, industrial processes, pharmaceuticals, power, residential water and waste and water reuse. More information about Dow Water & Process Solutions can be found at www.dowwaterandprocess.com.

About Dow
Dow combines the power of science and technology with the "Human Element" to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2009, Dow had annual sales of $45 billion and employed approximately 52,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 214 sites in 37 countries across the globe. 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.

OLD - Dow Chemical Company

OLD - Dow Chemical Company

With annual sales of $54 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.