Fresh water resources are sources of water useful to humans.
Fresh water is water on the Earth’s surface in bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. The term “sweet water” has been used to describe fresh water in contrast to salt water.
Uses of fresh water include agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and environmental activities. Most all of these human uses require fresh water.
You can see 97% of water on the Earth is salt water, and only 3% is fresh water of which slightly over two thirds is frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps.
From: United States Geological Survey
Fresh water is a renewable resource.
But the world’s supply of clean, fresh water is steadily decreasing. Water demand by humans already exceeds supply in many parts of the world. As the world population continues to rise, so does the demand for clean fresh water.
Awareness of the global importance of preserving water for ecosystem services has only recently become understood. Currently, more than half the world’s wetlands have been lost along with their valuable environmental services. Biodiversity-rich freshwater ecosystems are currently declining faster than marine or land ecosystems.
Physical Water Quality
Chemical Water Quality
Biological Water Quality
