Here are some interesting facts on water. Lets Nurture is trying ti educate people on saving water and its proper utilization on World Water Day.

1. World Water Day 2013

2. Time is Running Dry
The water tables are falling in many parts of the world. The
Himalayan glaciers will shrink massively in the next century,
reducing in the mountains. The shortfall will have to come
from groundwater and surface storage. Many great rivers have drastically
diminished flows.
Demand for food and fiber is estimated to increase by 70%
by mid-century when the world`s population is estimated to
reach nine billion; without involvement untenable pressure on
water resources in many areas will endanger water and food security.

3. Water Stats
Of all the water on Earth, 97.5% is salt water, leaving
only 2.5% as fresh water.
Almost 70% of that fresh water is frozen in solid in
Antarctica`s and Greenland`s ice caps, and the majority
of the remainder is in the earth`s soil or lies as
groundwater in deep underground aquifers.
Less than 1% of all fresh water on earth (equivalent to
0.007%) are accessible for human use. This water is
found in rivers, lakes and reservoirs as well as
underground sources that are shallow enough to be
tapped.

4. The Top 5 Countries Facing
Extreme Risk of Water
Water use in many parts of the world has become
unsustainable, so much so that local populations,
agricultures and businesses are under heavy
threat. The 10 countries facing the most ‘extreme ’
risk level are all in North Africa or the Middle East.
1. Bahrain
2. Qatar
3. Kuwait
4. Libya
5. Djibouti

5. Poverty/ Drought
The lack of fresh water in 3rd world countries also contributes to food
insecurity and malnutrition. This can result in poor or failed harvests which in
turn result in food scarcity and high prices of the available food.
Drought is now the most common cause of food shortages in the world. In
2006, recurrent drought caused crop failures and heavy livestock losses in
parts of Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya.

6. 3rd World Vs 1st World
• The UN indicates that each individual needs • According to the U.S. Environmental
20-50 liters of water a day to make sure their Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. households
primary needs for drinking, food preparation and waste 1.25 trillion gallons of water each
cleaning. year.
• More than one in six people worldwide (894 • Around 30% of the water an average
million) don`t have access to improved water American use is used for outdoor, mainly
sources. just to water their lawn and flower bed.
Garden hose spray around 10 gallons of
• Worldwide, diarrhea is the leading cause of water per minute, so using around 150
sickness and loss of life, and 88% of diarrheal gallons of water in one wash isn`t difficult at
fatalities are due to a lack of access to all.
cleanliness features, together with insufficient
access to water for cleaning and risky drinking • More that one-fourth of all the water we
water. use worldwide is taken to grow over one
billion tons of food that nobody eats.
• Today 2.5 billion people, including almost one
billion children, live without even basic
sanitation. Every 20 seconds, a child dies as a
result of poor sanitation. That`s 1.5 million
preventable deaths each year.

7. Water Cooperation
• 1989-1992- Water Convention plans negotiated.
• 1994 – Recommendation to UNECE Governments on the Prevention of Water
Pollution from Hazardous Substances.
• 1996- The Water Convention enters into force First Guidelines on Water
Quality-Monitoring.
• 1999- Agreement on the status of the International Fund for Saving the Aral
Sea.
• 2001- Belarus-Ukraine and China-Kazakhstan agreement.
• 2003- Hungary-Romania and Estonia-Latvia agreement.
• 2006- Dam safety project starts in Central Asia.
• 2007- The new Franco-Swiss Genovese aquifer agreement is signed.
• 2008- water quality project starts in Central Asia.
• 2012- expected globalization of the water Convention.