support of human life, agriculture, and most forms of non-ocean life, 30.1% is groundwater. Groundwater is the water stored deep beneath the Earth's surface in underground aquifers. Another 68.6% of all freshwater is stored in glaciers and polar caps. That leaves only 1.3% of the total freshwater on Earth is in surface water sources such as lakes, rivers, and streams. But it is surface water humans and other species rely upon for their biological needs. freshwater accounts for only 2.5% of the total. Because the oceans that cover roughly 71% of the area of the Earth As a result, the vast bulk of the water on Earth is regarded as saline or salt water, with an average salinity of 35 (or 3.5%, roughly equivalent to 34 grams of salts in 1 kg of seawater) The remainder of the Earth's water constitutes the planet's fresh water resource. Typically, fresh water is defined as water with a salinity of less than 1 percent that of the oceans - i.e. below around 0.35. Water with a salinity between this level and 1 is typically referred to as marginal water because it is marginal for many uses by humans and animals. The ratio of salt water to fresh water on Earth is around 40 to 1. today most fresh water exists in the form of ice, snow, groundwater and soil moisture, with only 0.3% in liquid form on the surface. Of the liquid surface fresh water, 87% is contained in lakes, 11% in swamps, and only 2% in rivers. Small quantities of water also exist in the atmosphere and in living beings. Of these sources, only river water is generally valuable. Percentage of water in earth
Water shortages may be caused by climate
change, such as altered weather-patterns (including droughts or floods), increased pollution, and increased human demand and overuse of water. Water is critical to future growth. But it can also become the major limiting factor to growth. For instance, businesses in water-scarce areas are already at risk, and so investors are increasingly
taking water supply into consideration during
their decision-making processes. In fact, 2.5 billion people (36% of the world population) live in these regions and more than 20% of the global GDP is already produced in risky, water-scarce areas affecting production, as well as corporate reputations when competition over water usages develops. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), found that 4.8 billion people more than half the worlds population and approximately half of global grain production will be at risk due to water stress by 2050 if status quo, businessas-usual behavior is followed. The IFPRI study also found that 45% of total GDP ($63 trillion) will be at risk due to water stress by 2050. Thats 1.5 times the size of todays entire global economy! By Dennis Dimick, National Geographic Some shallow aquifers recharge from surface water, but deeper aquifers contain ancient water locked in the earth by changes in geology thousands or millions of years ago. These aquifers typically cannot recharge, and once this "fossil" water is gone, it is gone foreverpotentially changing how and where we can live and grow food, among other things. -Local Water Utilities Administration LWUA is the only Philippine water supply institution with full expertise in developing Level III (individual household connection) water supply systems. Its competence spans the financial, technical, institutional development and regulatory aspects of water supply development. It is also an expert in developing Level I (communal well) and Level II (communal faucet) systems. This expertise is often availed of by other government institutions involved in the development of these water supply systems. LWUAs teams of engineers and technicians have undergone extensive studies and trainings both here and abroad, and have gained an unequalled competence in water supply and sanitation development through actual experiences in the field. Their expertise includes all phases of planning, design, construction supervision, and operations and maintenance supervision, including identification and development of water sources and systems efficiency improvement. With the overall success and sustainability of a water district in mind, LWUA extends institutional development assistance in the form of advisory and managerial services; transfers policy-making, managerial and technical competence to the pertinent WD personnel through training interventions; designs and provides water districts with commercial practices systems for a smoother commercial operation.