Some water is salty because it contains mineral salts. Billions of years ago, volcanic eruptions released salty water into the seas and oceans, making the water salty. Today, 97% of the world's water is salty seas and oceans, with only 3% being fresh water on land. While rainwater is fresh, the water that evaporates in the water cycle is salty because the sun only evaporates water, leaving salt and minerals behind.