Today is #WorldWaterDay and while the photo in this post is of a beach (need to draw attention somehow, right?) this year’s focus is actually on groundwater and making the “invisible, visible”. Did you know that only about 2.5% of Earth’s water is fresh? Of that 2.5%, nearly 69% is trapped in glaciers and ice caps, 30% is groundwater, and only about 1% is surface water.
Groundwater is “water found underground in aquifers, which are geological formations of rocks, sands and gravels that can hold water” according to the United Nations. Despite the crucial role that groundwater plays in many systems - from sanitation to agriculture to drinking - overuse and pollution threaten that supply. Just because it is out of sight, does not mean we can put it out of mind. Better governance is needed to protect this “unseen” body of water, especially as we face the effects of climate change.
Water is essential to life and while 70% of Earth’s surface is covered in water - making it seem plentiful - it is actually a finite resource. There’s a lot to think about when it comes to fresh, accessible water: an increasing population and, thus, increasing water consumption; fresh water that is not evenly distributed with population; water becoming contaminated from numerous sources; and more. However, through strategy, collaboration, and conservation we can ensure that everyone has access to fresh drinking water now, and into the future.
