Water Resources The total volume of water on Earth is about 1.4 billion km3. The volume of freshwater resources is   around 35 million km3, or about 2.5 percent of the total volume. View Statistics

Water Use The world's six billion people are appropriating 54 percent of all the accessible freshwater contained in rivers, lakes and underground aquifers. View Statistics

Drinking Water and Sanitation The UN suggests that each person needs 20-50 litres of safe freshwater a day to ensure their basic needs for drinking, cooking and cleaning. View Statistics

Water, Agriculture and Food Security The daily drinking water requirement per person is 2-4 litres, but it takes 2 000 to 5 000 litres of water to produce one person's daily food. View Statistics

Water Pollution, Environmental Degradation and Disasters In developing countries, 70 percent of industrial wastes are dumped untreated into waters where they pollute the usable water supply. View Statistics