Water is something we take very much for granted. We open our instant taps or we push the buttons on the office water cooler and without another thought, water comes flowing out. But this life-sustaining natural resource is so much greater than the casual consideration we give it. Courtesy of The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) here are a few interesting facts to remind you just how great a role water plays in our lives.
- 9% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water.
- 97% of the Earth’s water is salt water – that leaves only 3% as fresh water.
- 7% of the fresh water on Earth is trapped in glaciers.
- If enough of those glaciers were to melt to cause a ten-meter rise in sea levels, it would flood 25% of the US.
- Over 90% of the world’s supply of fresh water is located in Antarctica
- Europeans use roughly 190 litres of water per day – in the US, people use double that amount, while those living in sub-Saharan Africa survive on only 8 to 20 litres per day.
- Daily we use more water flushing our toilets than we use showering or anything else water-related.
- In one year, the average American household uses (both indoors and outdoors) nearly 400,000 litres of water.
- A leaking tap that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste nearly 12,000 litres of water per year.
- Water is the only natural resource that can be found in all three forms – solid, liquid and gas.
- Water is the great dissolver – it can dissolve more substances than even sulfuric acid.
And here’s something else to ponder: in just one day, 200 million work hours are spent by women collecting water for their families. This is one of the many reasons why AquAid believe in helping communities that are desperate for fresh water – a percentage of all water cooler or instant taps sales are donated to the Africa Trust who along with AquAid help bring life-giving water to some of Africa’s poorest communities. So, for a water solution tailored to your specific office needs, be sure to contact AquAid today.
