Here Are Five Fascinating Facts About Water Scarcity

January 8, 2019

Did you know that about 70 percent of the planet is covered in water? With a statistic like that, it might be difficult at first to understand why water scarcity exists—but obviously, not all water is actually potable. You have probably heard the saying “Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.” Unfortunately, that phrase is actually a pretty accurate description of water scarcity on our planet.

In fact, less than one percent of the entire water supply on Earth is actually suitable for humans to consume. This is why water scarcity is beginning to affect places like Cape Town in South Africa—and why many fear that the problem could spread to other countries and continents.

With that in mind, here are five interesting facts about water scarcity. It is our hope that this information gives you a better idea of what water scarcity is, how it is caused and what we can do about it:

  • Where it occurs: You might understandably assume that water scarcity could only occur in deserts that see little precipitation, but that is not the case. In fact, areas that have plenty of freshwater and rainfall can still experience water scarcity, because issues of potability could affect the water supply.
  • Widespread issue: It is easy to think of water scarcity as a small, isolated problem. But in fact, water scarcity currently affects at least one in three people on every inhabited continent on the planet. Considering water scarcity is such a big issue—and the problem is only growing—industrial water purification in Cincinnati, OH and beyond is a big industry.
  • Population effects: Here is another interesting statistic that shows just how widespread the issue of water scarcity is for all humans on Earth: almost one fifth of the entire global population live in places where potable water is scarce. That adds up to about 1.2 billion people!
  • Dangerous contamination: When water is scarce, people are forced to use low quality water to get by. This is why over 10 percent of people on the planet regularly eat food that has been grown using wastewater, which can include dangerous bacteria or chemicals. When water scarcity occurs and there are not any safe solutions, the entire population is put in danger.
  • Understanding water scope: As we have already mentioned, less than one percent of the earth’s vast water supply is fit for human consumption. Here is another way of understanding that fact: if the entire water supply on Earth were put in a one-gallon jug, the amount of water that humans could safely consume would not even fill a teaspoon. That should put in perspective just how precious a resource water truly is.

Water scarcity is a complicated issue, but industrial water purification in Cincinnati, OH and elsewhere can be part of the solution. If you would like to learn more about industrial water purification in Cincinnati, OH, please feel free to get in touch with the team at Ultra Pure Water Technologies anytime.

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