Nearly 97% of the world’s water is salty or otherwise undrinkable. Another 2% is locked in ice caps and glaciers. That leaves just 1% for all of humanity’s needs – all its agricultural, residential, manufacturing, community, and personal needs. If all the water in the world could fit into a jug, the fresh water available for us to use would equal only about one tablespoon. Nearly 1 billion people worldwide have limited access to water. Many people especially women in developing countries, walk 6km each day to collect water.

A drip from a tap can waste over 100 litres of water in a day. Our bones are 31% water and 60-70% of the human body is water. At birth a baby’s weight is made up of 80% water. Around 700 million people in 43 countries suffer from water scarcity. By 2025, 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity and two thirds of the world’s population could be living under water stressed conditions.

More than half of the water used at home is used in the bathroom. Water dissolves more substances than any other liquid. Water continually evaporates, condenses and precipitates, falling as rain. On a global basis evaporation approximately equals precipitation but it often doesn’t rain where it is needed the most.

We drink around 1000 litres of water in a year. We use 8 litres of water to flush the toilet. Depending on how long you brush your teeth, up to 8 litres of water a day can be used with the tap running. It takes 200 litres of water to produce the coffee beans for one cup of coffee, 15,000 litres of water to produce 1kg of beef and 100 litres to make 2 slices of bread.

Water regulates the Earth’s temperature. It also regulates the temperature of the human body, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, cushions joints, protects organs and tissues and removes wastes. 75% of the human brain is water and 75% of a living tree is water. A person can live about a month without food, but less than a week without water. Water is part of a deeply interconnected system. What we pour on the ground ends up in our water and what we spew into the sky ends up in our water.

Water is indeed a very precious gift from God, to be respected, minded and used with great care. We all play a part in conserving and not wasting our water during this current drought.