Nearly 70% of the world's fresh water is locked in ice. Most of the rest is in aquifers that were draining much more quickly than the natural recharge rate. Two-thirds of our water is used to grow food. With 83 million more people on Earth each year, water demand will keep going up unless we change how we use it.
Americans use about 100 gallons of water at home each day. Millions of the world's poorest subsist on fewer than five gallons. 46 percent of people on earth do not have water piped to their homes. Women in developing countries walk an average of 3.7 miles to get water. In 15 years, 1.8 billion people will live in regions of severe water scarcity.
One out of eight people lacks access to clean water. 3.3 million die from water-related health problems each year. Washing hands with soap can reduce diarrheal disease by 45%. An eradication campaign that includes a simple water filter has cut the number of Guinea worm cases by 99.9% since 1986.
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