Did you know that freshwater that supports all lives on our planet accounts for just 3% of the total? A limited resource, 69% of this naturally occurring water is stored in glaciers and icecaps and 30% is under the ground. And only 3% is found in the surface water of lakes and rivers.
Climate change may disrupt the cycle and alter the balance of water so vital to sustaining life. As temperatures increase, so does evaporation, which increases the possibility of droughts. Droughts lead to less drinking water and agricultural produce. Rising temperatures also melt ice caps and send saltwater into underground supplies of fresh water. Heavy rainstorms increase pollution by washing trash and harmful contaminants into the fresh water supply.
Water pollution affects humans as well as plants and marine life. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 3.4 million people die each year from waterborne diseases.
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