Introduction

Water is made available by the natural hydraulic cycle of the atmospheric-oceani

c-terrestrial system. In most forms, water is a renewable resource since its con
tinued flows are not affected by withdrawals or use. However, not all natural wa
ters are renewable and renewable waters can become non-renewable by human action
s such as contamination, watershed modification, or extraction in excess of infl
ow rate.
Only 2.5% of water on the Earth is fresh water, and over two thirds of this is f
rozen in glaciers and polar ice caps.
It is estimated that 70% of world-wide water use is for irrigation in agricultur
e.
Climate change will have significant impacts on water resources around the world
because of the close connections between the climate and hydrologic cycle.
Water demand already exceeds supply in many parts of the world, and many more ar
eas are expected to experience this imbalance in the near future.
Many pollutants threaten water supplies, but the most widespread, especially in
underdeveloped countries, is the discharge of raw sewage into natural waters.
The importance of water
Water is one of the most important substances on earth. All plants and animals m
ust have water to survive. If there was no water there would be no life on earth
.
Apart from drinking it to survive, people have many other uses for water. These
include:
- cooking
- washing clothes
- washing cooking and eating utensils
- keeping houses and communities clean
- recreation; such as swimming pools
keeping plants alive in gardens and parks
Water resources are used in various ways including direct consumption, agricultu
ral irrigation, fisheries, hydropower, industrial production, recreation, naviga
tion, environmental protection, the disposal and treatment of sewage, and indust
rial effluents.
Water is the most abundant ingredient in the human body through all phases of gr
owth and development. Every system in your body depends on water to function.
Water is essential to your body s temperature regulation, keeping it cool through
perspiration.
Water flushes out toxins and wastes.
Water is a major component of blood which carries nutrients and oxygen to and fr
om all cells.
It is most important that the water which people drink and use for other purpose
s is clean water. This means that the water must be free of germs and chemicals
and be clear (not cloudy).
Water that is safe for drinking is called potable water. Water that is not safe
to drink is said to be non-potable.
Water is the only substance on Earth that is in liquid form at the temperatures

commonly found on the Surface of our planet.

Water it is a superb solvent, meaning that other substances regularly and easily
dissolve into it. This allows water to carry nutrients to cells, and carry wast
e away from them
In addition, water has the unique property of expanding as it freezes. Because w
ater expands becoming less dense, frozen water, more commonly known as ice, floa
ts. This is very important because it protects the water underneath, insulating
it from freezing.