Water

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"H2O" and "HOH" redirect here. For other uses, see H2O (disambiguation) and HOH
(disambiguation).
This article is about general aspects of water. For a detailed discussion of its
physical and chemical properties, see Properties of water. For other uses, see
Water (disambiguation).
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Water in three states: liquid, solid (ice), and gas (invisible water vapor in th
e air). Clouds are accumulations of water droplets, condensed from vapor-saturat
ed air.
File:Water Video.webm

Video demonstrating states of water present in domestic life.
Water is a transparent fluid which forms the world's streams, lakes, oceans and
rain, and is the major constituent of the fluids of living things. As a chemical
compound, a water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms that are
connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at standard ambient temperature a
nd pressure, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice; and gase
ous state, steam (water vapor).
Water covers 71% of the Earth's surface.[1] It is vital for all known forms of l
ife. On Earth, 96.5% of the planet's water is found in seas and oceans, 1.7% in
groundwater, 1.7% in glaciers and the ice caps of Antarctica and Greenland, a sm
all fraction in other large water bodies, and 0.001% in the air as vapor, clouds
(formed of solid and liquid water particles suspended in air), and precipitatio
n.[2][3] Only 2.5% of the Earth's water is freshwater, and 98.8% of that water i
s in ice and groundwater. Less than 0.3% of all freshwater is in rivers, lakes,
and the atmosphere, and an even smaller amount of the Earth's freshwater (0.003%
) is contained within biological bodies and manufactured products.[2]
Water on Earth moves continually through the water cycle of evaporation and tran
spiration (evapotranspiration), condensation, precipitation, and runoff, usually
reaching the sea. Evaporation and transpiration contribute to the precipitation
over land. Water used in the production of a good or service is known as virtua
l water.
Safe drinking water is essential to humans and other lifeforms even though it pr
ovides no calories or organic nutrients. Access to safe drinking water has impro
ved over the last decades in almost every part of the world, but approximately o
ne billion people still lack access to safe water and over 2.5 billion lack acce
ss to adequate sanitation.[4] There is a clear correlation between access to saf
e water and gross domestic product per capita.[5] However, some observers have e
stimated that by 2025 more than half of the world population will be facing wate
r-based vulnerability.[6] A report, issued in November 2009, suggests that by 20
30, in some developing regions of the world, water demand will exceed supply by
50%.[7] Water plays an important role in the world economy, as it functions as a
solvent for a wide variety of chemical substances and facilitates industrial co
oling and transportation. Approximately 70% of the fresh water used by humans go
es to agriculture.[8]
Contents [hide]
1 Chemical and physical properties
2 Taste and odor
3 Distribution in nature
3.1 In the universe
3.1.1 Water vapor
3.1.2 Liquid water
3.1.3 Water ice
3.1.4 Exotic forms
3.2 Water and habitable zone
4 On Earth
4.1 Water cycle
4.2 Fresh water storage
4.3 Sea water
4.4 Tides
5 Effects on life
5.1 Aquatic life forms
6 Effects on human civilization
6.1 Health and pollution
6.2 Human uses
6.2.1 Agriculture
6.2.2 As a scientific standard
6.2.3 For drinking
6.2.4 Washing
6.2.5 Transportation
6.2.6 Chemical uses
6.2.7 Heat exchange
6.2.8 Fire extinction
6.2.9 Recreation
6.2.10 Water industry
6.2.11 Industrial applications
6.2.12 Food processing
7 Law, politics, and crisis
8 In culture
8.1 Religion
8.2 Philosophy
8.3 Literature
9 See also
9.1 Other topics
10 References
11 Further reading
12 External links
Chemical and physical properties
Main articles: Properties of water, Water (data page) and Water model
Model of hydrogen bonds (1) between molecules of water.
Impact from a water drop causes an upward "rebound" jet surrounded by circular c
apillary waves.
Snowflakes by Wilson Bentley, 1902.
Dew drops adhering to a spider web.
Capillary action of water compared to mercury.
Water is the chemical substance with chemical formula H
2O: one molecule of water has two hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to a single o
xygen atom.
Water appears in nature in all three common states of matter (solid, liquid, and
gas) and may take many different forms on Earth: water vapor and clouds in the
sky, seawater in the oceans, icebergs in the polar oceans, glaciers in the mount
ains, fresh and salt water lakes, rivers, and aquifers in the ground.
The major chemical and physical properties of water are:
Water is a liquid at standard temperature and pressure. It is tasteless and odor
less. The intrinsic colour of water and ice is a very slight blue hue, although
both appear colorless in small quantities. Water vapour is essentially invisible
as a gas.[9]
Water is transparent in the visible electromagnetic spectrum. Thus aquatic plant
s can live in water because sunlight can reach them. Infrared light is strongly
absorbed by the hydrogen-oxygen or OH bonds.
Since the water molecule is not linear and the oxygen atom has a higher electron
egativity than hydrogen atoms, the oxygen atom carries a slight negative charge,
whereas the hydrogen atoms are slightly positive. As a result, water is a polar
molecule with an electrical dipole moment. Water also can form an unusually lar
ge number of intermolecular hydrogen bonds (four) for a molecule of its size. Th
ese factors lead to strong attractive forces between molecules of water, giving
rise to water's high surface tension[10] and capillary forces. The capillary act
ion refers to the tendency of water to move up a narrow tube against the force o
f gravity. This property is relied upon by all vascular plants, such as trees.[1
1]
Water is a good polar solvent and is often referred to as the universal solvent.
Substances that dissolve in water, e.g., salts, sugars, acids, alkalis, and som
e gases especially oxygen and carbon dioxide (carbonation) are known as hydrophi
lic (water-loving) substances, while those that are immiscible with water (e.g.,
fats and oils), are known as hydrophobic (water-fearing) substances.
All of the components in cells (proteins, DNA and polysaccharides) are dissolved
in water, deriving their structure and activity from their interactions with th
e water.
Pure water has a low electrical conductivity, but this increases with the dissol
ution of a small amount of ionic material such as sodium chloride.
The boiling point of water (and all other liquids) is dependent on the barometri
c pressure. For example, on the top of Mount Everest water boils at 68 C (154 F),
compared to 100 C (212 F) at sea level at a similar latitude (since latitude modif
ies atmospheric pressure slightly). Conversely, water deep in the ocean near geo
thermal vents can reach temperatures of hundreds of degrees and remain liquid.
At 4181.3 J/(kgK), water has a high specific heat capacity, as well as a high hea
t of vaporization (40.65 kJmol-1), both of which are a result of the extensive hy
drogen bonding between its molecules. These two unusual properties allow water t
o moderate Earth's climate by buffering large fluctuations in temperature.
The density of liquid water is 1,000 kg/m3 (62.43 lb/cu ft) at 4 C. Ice has a den
sity of 917 kg/m3 (57.25 lb/cu ft).
ADR label for transporting goods dangerously reactive with water
The maximum density of water occurs at 3.98 C (39.16 F).[12] Most known pure subst
ances become more dense as they cool, however water has the anomalous property o
f becoming less dense when it is cooled to its solid form, ice. During cooling w
ater becomes more dense until reaching 3.98 C. Below this temperature, the open s
tructure of ice is gradually formed in the low temperature water; the random ori
entations of the water molecules in the liquid are maintained by the thermal mot
ion, and below 3.98 C there is not enough thermal energy to maintain this randomn
ess. As water is cooled there are two competing effects: 1) decreasing volume, a
nd 2) increase overall volume of the liquid as the molecules begin to orient int
o the organized structure of ice. Between 3.98 C and 0 C, the second effect will c
ancel the first effect so the net effect is an increase of volume with decreasin
g temperature.[13] Water expands to occupy a 9% greater volume as ice, which acc
ounts for the fact that ice floats on liquid water, as in icebergs.
Water is miscible with many liquids, such as ethanol, in all proportions, formin
g a single homogeneous liquid. On the other hand, water and most oils are immisc
ible, usually forming layers with the least dense liquid as the top layer, and t
he most dense layer at the bottom.
Water forms an azeotrope with many other solvents.
Water can be split by electrolysis into hydrogen and oxygen. The energy required
to split water into hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis or any other means is g
reater than the energy that can be collected when the hydrogen and oxygen recomb
ine.[14]
As an oxide of hydrogen, water is formed when hydrogen or hydrogen-containing co
mpounds burn or react with oxygen or oxygen-containing compounds. Water is not a
fuel, it is an end-product of the combustion of hydrogen.
Elements which are more electropositive than hydrogen such as lithium, sodium, c
alcium, potassium and caesium displace hydrogen from water, forming hydroxides.
Being a flammable gas, the hydrogen given off is dangerous and the reaction of w
ater with the more electropositive of these elements may be violently explosive.
Property Remarks Importance to the environment
Physical state Only substance occurring naturally in all three phases as solid,
liquid, and gas on Earth's surface Transfer of heat between ocean and atmos
phere by phase change
Dissolving ability Dissolves more substances in greater quantities than any
other common liquid Important in chemical, physical, and biological processe
s
Density: mass per unit volume Density is determined by (1) temperature, (2) sa
linity, and (3) pressure, in that order of importance. The temperature of maximu
m density for pure water is 4 C. For seawater, the freezing point decreases with
increasing salinity Controls oceanic vertical circulation, aids in heat dist
ribution, and allows seasonal stratification
Surface tension Highest of all common liquids Controls drop formation in rain
and clouds; important in cell physiology
Conduction of heat Highest of all common liquids Important on the small s
cale, especially on cellular level
Heat capacity Highest of all common solids and liquids Prevents extreme
range in Earth's temperatures (i.e., great heat moderator)
Latent heat of fusion Highest of all common liquids and most solids Thermost
atic heat-regulating effect due to the release of heat on freezing and absorptio
n on melting
Latent heat of vaporization Highest of all common substances Immense
importance: a major factor in the transfer of heat in and between ocean and atmo
sphere, driving weather and climate
Refractive index Increases with increasing salinity and decreases with in
creasing temperature Objects appear closer than in air
Transparency Relatively great for visible light; absorption high for infrared
and ultraviolet Important for photosynthesis
Sound transmission Good compared with other fluids Allows for sonar and pre
cision depth recorders to rapidly determine water depth, and to detect subsurfac
e features and animals; sounds can be heard great distances underwater
Compressibility Only slight Density changes only slightly with pressure/dept
h
Boiling and melting points Unusually high Allows water to exist as a liqui
d on most of Earth
Taste and odor
Pure H2O is tasteless and odorless.
Water can dissolve many different substances, giving it varying tastes and odors
. Humans, and other animals, have developed senses that enable them to evaluate
the potability of water by avoiding water that is too salty or putrid.
The taste of spring water and mineral water, often advertised in marketing of co
nsumer products, derives from the minerals dissolved in it. The advertised purit
y of spring and mineral water refers to absence of toxins, pollutants, and micro
bes, not to the absence of naturally occurring minerals.
Distribution in nature
In the universe
Much of the universe's water is produced as a byproduct of star formation. When
stars are born, their birth is accompanied by a strong outward wind of gas and d
ust. When this outflow of material eventually impacts the surrounding gas, the s
hock waves that are created compress and heat the gas. The water observed is qui
ckly produced in this warm dense gas.[15]
On 22 July 2011 a report described the discovery of a gigantic cloud of water va
por containing "140 trillion times more water than all of Earth's oceans combine
d" around a quasar located 12 billion light years from Earth. According to the r
esearchers, the "discovery shows that water has been prevalent in the universe f
or nearly its entire existence".[16][17]
Water has been detected in interstellar clouds within our galaxy, the Milky Way.
[citation needed] Water probably exists in abundance in other galaxies, too, bec
ause its components, hydrogen and oxygen, are among the most abundant elements i
n the universe.[citation needed] Based on models of the formation and evolution
of the Solar System and that of other star systems, most other planetary systems
are likely to have similar ingredients.
Water vapor
Water is present as vapor in:
Atmosphere of the Sun: in detectable trace amounts[18]
Atmosphere of Mercury: 3.4%, and large amounts of water in Mercury's exosphere[1
9]
Atmosphere of Venus: 0.002%[20]
Earth's atmosphere: ~0.40% over full atmosphere, typically 14% at surface; as wel
l as that of the Moon in trace amounts[21]
Atmosphere of Mars: 0.03%[22]
Atmosphere of Ceres[23]
Atmosphere of Jupiter: 0.0004%[24] in ices only; and that of its moon Europa[25]
Atmosphere of Saturn in ices only; and that of its moons Titan (stratospheric),
Enceladus: 91%[26] and Dione (exosphere)
Atmosphere of Uranus - in trace amounts below 50 bar[27]
Atmosphere of Neptune - found in the deeper layers[28]
exoplanets such as HD 189733 b[29] and HD 209458 b[30] and Tau Botis b
Liquid water
Turquoise water with a bit of Sun.
Liquid water is known to be present on Earth, covering 71% of our planet's surfa
ce. Scientists believe liquid water is present in the Saturnian moons of Encelad
us, as a 10 kilometre thick ocean approximately 30-40 kilometres below Enceladus
' south polar surface,[31][32] and Titan, as a subsurface layer, possibly mixed
with ammonia.[33] Liquid water may also exist on Jupiter's moon Ganymede as a la
yer sandwiched between high pressure ice and rock.[34]
Water ice
Water is present as ice on:
Mars: under the regolith and at the poles
Earth-Moon system: mainly as ice sheets on Earth and in Lunar craters and volcan
ic rocks[35] NASA reported the detection of water molecules by NASA's Moon Miner
alogy Mapper aboard the Indian Space Research Organization's Chandrayaan-1 space
craft in September 2009.[36]
Jupiter's moons: Europa's surface and also that of Ganymede
Saturn: in the planets ring system[37] and on the surface and mantle of Titan an
d Enceladus
Pluto-Charon system[37]
Comets and related (Kuiper belt and Oort cloud objects).
And may also be present on:
Mercury's poles[38]
Ceres
Tethys
Exotic forms
Water and other volatiles probably comprise much of the internal structures of U
ranus and Neptune and the water in the deeper layers may be in the form of ionic
water in which the molecules break down into a soup of hydrogen and oxygen ions
, and deeper down as superionic water in which the oxygen crystallises but the h
ydrogen ions float around freely within the oxygen lattice.[39]
Water and habitable zone
Further information: Water distribution on Earth
The existence of liquid water, and to a lesser extent its gaseous and solid form
s, on Earth are vital to the existence of life on Earth as we know it. The Earth
is located in the habitable zone of the solar system; if it were slightly close
r to or farther from the Sun (about 5%, or about 8 million kilometers), the cond
itions which allow the three forms to be present simultaneously would be far les
s likely to exist.[40][41]
Earth's gravity allows it to hold an atmosphere. Water vapor and carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere provide a temperature buffer (greenhouse effect) which helps m
aintain a relatively steady surface temperature. If Earth were smaller, a thinne
r atmosphere would allow temperature extremes, thus preventing the accumulation
of water except in polar ice caps (as on Mars).
The surface temperature of Earth has been relatively constant through geologic t
ime despite varying levels of incoming solar radiation (insolation), indicating
that a dynamic process governs Earth's temperature via a combination of greenhou
se gases and surface or atmospheric albedo. This proposal is known as the Gaia h
ypothesis.
The state of water on a planet depends on ambient pressure, which is determined
by the planet's gravity. If a planet is sufficiently massive, the water on it ma
y be solid even at high temperatures, because of the high pressure caused by gra
vity, as it was observed on exoplanets Gliese 436 b[42] and GJ 1214 b.[43]
On Earth
Main articles: Hydrology and Water distribution on Earth
Water covers 71% of the Earth's surface; the oceans contain 96.5% of the Earth's
water. The Antarctic ice sheet, which contains 61% of all fresh water on Earth,
is visible at the bottom. Condensed atmospheric water can be seen as clouds, co
ntributing to the Earth's albedo.
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water throu
ghout the Earth. The study of the distribution of water is hydrography. The stud
y of the distribution and movement of groundwater is hydrogeology, of glaciers i
s glaciology, of inland waters is limnology and distribution of oceans is oceano
graphy. Ecological processes with hydrology are in focus of ecohydrology.
The collective mass of water found on, under, and over the surface of a planet i
s called the hydrosphere. Earth's approximate water volume (the total water supp
ly of the world) is 1,338,000,000 km3 (321,000,000 mi3).[2]
Liquid water is found in bodies of water, such as an ocean, sea, lake, river, st
ream, canal, pond, or puddle. The majority of water on Earth is sea water. Water
is also present in the atmosphere in solid, liquid, and vapor states. It also e
xists as groundwater in aquifers.
Water is important in many geological processes. Groundwater is present in most
rocks, and the pressure of this groundwater affects patterns of faulting. Water
in the mantle is responsible for the melt that produces volcanoes at subduction
zones. On the surface of the Earth, water is important in both chemical and phys
ical weathering processes. Water, and to a lesser but still significant extent,
ice, are also responsible for a large amount of sediment transport that occurs o
n the surface of the earth. Deposition of transported sediment forms many types
of sedimentary rocks, which make up the geologic record of Earth history.
Water cycle
Main article: Water cycle
Water cycle
The water cycle (known scientifically as the hydrologic cycle) refers to the con
tinuous exchange of water within the hydrosphere, between the atmosphere, soil w
ater, surface water, groundwater, and plants.
Water moves perpetually through each of these regions in the water cycle consist
ing of following transfer processes:
evaporation from oceans and other water bodies into the air and transpiration fr
om land plants and animals into air.
precipitation, from water vapor condensing from the air and falling to earth or
ocean.
runoff from the land usually reaching the sea.
Most water vapor over the oceans returns to the oceans, but winds carry water va
por over land at the same rate as runoff into the sea, about 47 Tt per year. Ove
r land, evaporation and transpiration contribute another 72 Tt per year. Precipi
tation, at a rate of 119 Tt per year over land, has several forms: most commonly
rain, snow, and hail, with some contribution from fog and dew.[44] Dew is small
drops of water that are condensed when a high density of water vapor meets a co
ol surface. Dew usually forms in the morning when the temperature is the lowest,
just before sunrise and when the temperature of the earth's surface starts to i
ncrease.[45] Condensed water in the air may also refract sunlight to produce rai
nbows.
Water runoff often collects over watersheds flowing into rivers. A mathematical
model used to simulate river or stream flow and calculate water quality paramete
rs is a hydrological transport model. Some water is diverted to irrigation for a
griculture. Rivers and seas offer opportunity for travel and commerce. Through e
rosion, runoff shapes the environment creating river valleys and deltas which pr
ovide rich soil and level ground for the establishment of population centers. A
flood occurs when an area of land, usually low-lying, is covered with water. It
is when a river overflows its banks or flood comes from the sea. A drought is an
extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its wate
r supply. This occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipit
ation.
Fresh water storage
Bay of Fundy High Tide.jpgBay of Fundy Low Tide.jpg
The Bay of Fundy at high tide (left) and low tide (right)
Main article: Water resources
Some runoff water is trapped for periods of time, for example in lakes. At high
altitude, during winter, and in the far north and south, snow collects in ice ca
ps, snow pack and glaciers. Water also infiltrates the ground and goes into aqui
fers. This groundwater later flows back to the surface in springs, or more spect
acularly in hot springs and geysers. Groundwater is also extracted artificially
in wells. This water storage is important, since clean, fresh water is essential
to human and other land-based life. In many parts of the world, it is in short
supply.
Sea water
Main article: Seawater
Sea water contains about 3.5% salt on average, plus smaller amounts of other sub
stances. The physical properties of sea water differ from fresh water in some im
portant respects. It freezes at a lower temperature (about -1.9 C) and its densit
y increases with decreasing temperature to the freezing point, instead of reachi
ng maximum density at a temperature above freezing. The salinity of water in maj
or seas varies from about 0.7% in the Baltic Sea to 4.0% in the Red Sea.
Tides
Main article: Tide
Tides are the cyclic rising and falling of local sea levels caused by the tidal
forces of the Moon and the Sun acting on the oceans. Tides cause changes in the
depth of the marine and estuarine water bodies and produce oscillating currents
known as tidal streams. The changing tide produced at a given location is the re
sult of the changing positions of the Moon and Sun relative to the Earth coupled
with the effects of Earth rotation and the local bathymetry. The strip of seash
ore that is submerged at high tide and exposed at low tide, the intertidal zone,
is an important ecological product of ocean tides.
Effects on life
An oasis is an isolated water source with vegetation in a desert.
Overview of photosynthesis and respiration. Water (at right), together with carb
on dioxide (CO2), form oxygen and organic compounds (at left), which can be resp
ired to water and (CO2).
From a biological standpoint, water has many distinct properties that are critic
al for the proliferation of life that set it apart from other substances. It car
ries out this role by allowing organic compounds to react in ways that ultimatel
y allow replication. All known forms of life depend on water. Water is vital bot
h as a solvent in which many of the body's solutes dissolve and as an essential
part of many metabolic processes within the body. Metabolism is the sum total of
anabolism and catabolism. In anabolism, water is removed from molecules (throug
h energy requiring enzymatic chemical reactions) in order to grow larger molecul
es (e.g. starches, triglycerides and proteins for storage of fuels and informati
on). In catabolism, water is used to break bonds in order to generate smaller mo
lecules (e.g. glucose, fatty acids and amino acids to be used for fuels for ener
gy use or other purposes). Without water, these particular metabolic processes c
ould not exist.
Water is fundamental to photosynthesis and respiration. Photosynthetic cells use
the sun's energy to split off water's hydrogen from oxygen. Hydrogen is combine
d with CO2 (absorbed from air or water) to form glucose and release oxygen. All
living cells use such fuels and oxidize the hydrogen and carbon to capture the s
un's energy and reform water and CO2 in the process (cellular respiration).
Water is also central to acid-base neutrality and enzyme function. An acid, a hy
drogen ion (H+, that is, a proton) donor, can be neutralized by a base, a proton
acceptor such as a hydroxide ion (OH-) to form water. Water is considered to be
neutral, with a pH (the negative log of the hydrogen ion concentration) of 7. A
cids have pH values less than 7 while bases have values greater than 7.
Aquatic life forms
Main articles: Hydrobiology and Aquatic plant
Some of the biodiversity of a coral reef
Some marine diatoms a key phytoplankton group
Earth surface waters are filled with life. The earliest life forms appeared in w
ater; nearly all fish live exclusively in water, and there are many types of mar
ine mammals, such as dolphins and whales. Some kinds of animals, such as amphibi
ans, spend portions of their lives in water and portions on land. Plants such as
kelp and algae grow in the water and are the basis for some underwater ecosyste
ms. Plankton is generally the foundation of the ocean food chain.
Aquatic vertebrates must obtain oxygen to survive, and they do so in various way
s. Fish have gills instead of lungs, although some species of fish, such as the
lungfish, have both. Marine mammals, such as dolphins, whales, otters, and seals
need to surface periodically to breathe air. Some amphibians are able to absorb
oxygen through their skin. Invertebrates exhibit a wide range of modifications
to survive in poorly oxygenated waters including breathing tubes (see insect and
mollusc siphons) and gills (Carcinus). However as invertebrate life evolved in
an aquatic habitat most have little or no specialisation for respiration in wate
r.
Effects on human civilization
Water fountain
Civilization has historically flourished around rivers and major waterways; Meso
potamia, the so-called cradle of civilization, was situated between the major ri
vers Tigris and Euphrates; the ancient society of the Egyptians depended entirel
y upon the Nile. Large metropolises like Rotterdam, London, Montreal, Paris, New
York City, Buenos Aires, Shanghai, Tokyo, Chicago, and Hong Kong owe their succ
ess in part to their easy accessibility via water and the resultant expansion of
trade. Islands with safe water ports, like Singapore, have flourished for the s
ame reason. In places such as North Africa and the Middle East, where water is m
ore scarce, access to clean drinking water was and is a major factor in human de
velopment.
Health and pollution
An environmental science program - a student from Iowa State University sampling
water
Water fit for human consumption is called drinking water or potable water. Water
that is not potable may be made potable by filtration or distillation, or by a
range of other methods.
Water that is not fit for drinking but is not harmful for humans when used for s
wimming or bathing is called by various names other than potable or drinking wat
er, and is sometimes called safe water, or "safe for bathing". Chlorine is a ski
n and mucous membrane irritant that is used to make water safe for bathing or dr
inking. Its use is highly technical and is usually monitored by government regul
ations (typically 1 part per million (ppm) for drinking water, and 12 ppm of chlo
rine not yet reacted with impurities for bathing water). Water for bathing may b
e maintained in satisfactory microbiological condition using chemical disinfecta
nts such as chlorine or ozone or by the use of ultraviolet light.
In the USA, non-potable forms of wastewater generated by humans may be referred
to as greywater, which is treatable and thus easily able to be made potable agai
n, and blackwater, which generally contains sewage and other forms of waste whic
h require further treatment in order to be made reusable. Greywater composes 5080
% of residential wastewater generated by a household's sanitation equipment (sin
ks, showers and kitchen runoff, but not toilets, which generate blackwater.) The
se terms may have different meanings in other countries and cultures.
This natural resource is becoming scarcer in certain places, and its availabilit
y is a major social and economic concern. Currently, about a billion people arou
nd the world routinely drink unhealthy water. Most countries accepted the goal o
f halving by 2015 the number of people worldwide who do not have access to safe
water and sanitation during the 2003 G8 Evian summit.[46] Even if this difficult
goal is met, it will still leave more than an estimated half a billion people w
ithout access to safe drinking water and over a billion without access to adequa
te sanitation. Poor water quality and bad sanitation are deadly; some five milli
on deaths a year are caused by polluted drinking water. The World Health Organiz
ation estimates that safe water could prevent 1.4 million child deaths from diar
rhea each year.[47]
Water, however, is not a finite resource, but rather re-circulated as potable wa
ter in precipitation in quantities many degrees of magnitude higher than human c
onsumption. Therefore, it is the relatively small quantity of water in reserve i
n the earth (about 1% of our drinking water supply, which is replenished in aqui
fers around every 1 to 10 years), that is a non-renewable resource, and it is, r
ather, the distribution of potable and irrigation water which is scarce, rather
than the actual amount of it that exists on the earth. Water-poor countries use
importation of goods as the primary method of importing water (to leave enough f
or local human consumption), since the manufacturing process uses around 10 to 1
00 times products' masses in water.
In the developing world, 90% of all wastewater still goes untreated into local r
ivers and streams.[48] Some 50 countries, with roughly a third of the world's po
pulation, also suffer from medium or high water stress, and 17 of these extract
more water annually than is recharged through their natural water cycles.[49] Th
e strain not only affects surface freshwater bodies like rivers and lakes, but i
t also degrades groundwater resources.
Human uses
Further information: Water supply
Agriculture
File:Subsurface drip emission on loamy soil.ogv

Water distribution in subsurface drip irrigation
Irrigation of field crops
The most important use of water in agriculture is for irrigation, which is a key
component to produce enough food. Irrigation takes up to 90% of water withdrawn
in some developing countries[50] and significant proportions in more economical
ly developed countries (United States, 30% of freshwater usage is for irrigation
).[51]
Fifty years ago, the common perception was that water was an infinite resource.
At this time, there were fewer than half the current number of people on the pla
net. People were not as wealthy as today, consumed fewer calories and ate less m
eat, so less water was needed to produce their food. They required a third of th
e volume of water we presently take from rivers. Today, the competition for the
fixed amount of water resources is much more intense, giving rise to the concept
of peak water.[52] This is be