From the smallest living organism to the largest living being, it is water that sustains all biological life and all human activity.
- 3/4: of our planet is covered by water
- 2.5%: of the world's water is fresh water
- 60%: of the human body is water
- 1,430 m³: of water available per person per year in Turkey
The importance of water for living beings
Water, the most essential nutrient for sustaining life, is fundamental to the circulatory and digestive systems and plays a vital part in removing waste and toxins from the body.
A large part of the human body consists of water. It is needed for blood circulation, for flushing out harmful substances and for keeping internal membranes moist so they can function. A healthy person needs at least 1.5 litres of water a day, and more in cases of heavy sweating or diarrhoea.
Only 2.5% of the world's water is fresh water. About 70% of that is locked in glaciers, soil, the atmosphere and groundwater and cannot be used.
There is not enough water in the world
Because the population is growing rapidly while water resources remain constant, demand for water increases every day. Global water consumption averages around 800 m³ per person per year. 1.4 billion people, about 20% of the world's population, lack adequate drinking water, and 2.3 billion lack access to safe water.
By 2050 the number of countries suffering water shortages will rise to 54, and the number of people living in those conditions to 3.76 billion. That means 40% of the world's population, expected to reach 9.4 billion by 2050, will be short of water.
Every year 2 million people, most of them children, die from diseases caused by unsafe water and poor hygiene.
For a country to be considered water-rich, it needs at least 8,000–10,000 m³ of water per person per year. Turkey is not a water-rich country; it has 1,430 m³ per person per year.
The importance of water in our lives cannot be overstated. What we must do is use every drop of the water we have wisely, so that there is still water to drink tomorrow.